Phone phreaking is a type of hacking that allows you to explore the telephone network by exploiting the phone systems and phone company employees.

Hacking is exploiting security controls either in a technical, physical or a human-based element.

Garbage can provide important details for hackers: names, telephone numbers, a company's internal jargon.

Hackers are breaking the systems for profit. Before, it was about intellectual curiosity and pursuit of knowledge and thrill, and now hacking is big business.

My hacking involved pretty much exploring computer systems and obtaining access to the source code of telecommunication systems and computer operating systems, because my goal was to learn all I can about security vulnerabilities within these systems.

One of my all-time favorite pranks was gaining unauthorized access to the telephone switch and changing the class of service of a fellow phone phreak. When he'd attempt to make a call from home, he'd get a message telling him to deposit a dime, because the telephone company switch received input that indicated he was calling from a pay phone.