carrier scanner

security (Or "wardialer") A program which uses a modem to

dial a series of phone numbers (say, from 770-0000 to

770-9999), and keeps a log of what phone numbers answer with a

modem carrier. The results of such a search were generally

used by people looking to engage in random mischief in

random machines.

Since the 1980s, wardialers have generally fallen into disuse,

partly because of easily available "caller ID" technology,

partly because fax machines are now in wide use and would

often be logged as a carrier by a wardialer, and partly

because there are so many new and more interesting venues for

computerised mischief these days.

(1997-03-16)