Editing Phreaking (section)

==History==
Phreaking began in the 1960s when it was discovered that certain [[whistles]] could replicate the [[2600 hertz|2600 Hz]] pitch used in phone signalling systems in the United States.<ref name="BritannicaPhreaking">{{cite web |title=Phreaking {{!}} Telecom Security, History & Techniques {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/phreaking |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> Phone phreaks experimented with dialing around the telephone network to understand how the phone system worked, engaging in activities such as listening to the pattern of tones to figure out how calls were routed, reading obscure telephone company technical journals (often obtained through [[dumpster diving]]),<ref name="BritannicaPhreaking" /> [[Social engineering (security)|social engineering]], building electronic devices called [[Blue box (phreaking)|blue boxes]], [[Black box (phreaking)|black boxes]], and [[Red box (phreaking)|red boxes]] to help them explore the network and make free phone calls, hanging out on early conference call circuits and "loop arounds" to communicate with one another and writing their own newsletters to spread information. Phreaking was especially prevalent in universities,<ref name="BritannicaPhreaking" /> where it began spreading much like [[History of hacking|computer hacking would]] in the following decades.

Before 1984, long-distance telephone calls were a premium item in the United States, with strict regulations. In some locations, calling across the street counted as long distance.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hung Up Glenpool Has Long-Distance Woes In Making Calls Across the Street |last=Stott |first= Kim |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1983/07/22/hung-up-glenpool-has-long-distance-woes-in-making-calls-across-the-street/62837759007/|work=The Oklahoman |date=22 July 1983 |access-date=21 May 2025}}</ref> To report that a phone call was long-distance meant an elevated importance because the calling party is paying by the minute to speak to the called party.

Some phreaking consists of techniques to evade long-distance charges, which is criminalized as "[[Toll (telecommunications)|toll]] fraud".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bizfon.com/pdfs/tollfraud.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.bizfon.com/pdfs/tollfraud.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title= Notice to our customers regarding Toll Fraud |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |publisher= BizFon |access-date=2014-07-25}}</ref> In 1990, the pager cloning technique arose and was used by [[law enforcement]].<ref name="Castellano2017">{{cite book|author=John M. Castellano|title=Prosecutor's Manual for Arrest, Search and Seizure, Third Edition|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qvEACwAAQBAJ&q=pager+cloning+arrest&pg=PT13466|date=15 September 2017|publisher=LexisNexis|isbn=978-1-63284-068-4|page=1346}}</ref>

In the UK the situation was rather different due to the difference in technology between the American and British systems, the main difference being the absence of [[Dual-tone multi-frequency signaling|tone dialing and signaling]], particularly in the 1950s and 1960s. Still, US and UK phreaking often reflected a shared culture.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bruggeman |first=Jacob |date=January 2025 |title=Phreaking the U.K. |url=https://cse.umn.edu/cbi/interfaces |journal=Interfaces: Essays and Reviews on Computing and Culture |volume=6 |pages=1-8 |via=}}</ref>

The tone system in the United States has been almost entirely replaced, but in some countries, in addition to new systems, the tone system is still available, for example in Italy.

===Switch hook and tone dialer===
Possibly one of the first phreaking methods was switch-hooking, which allows placing calls from a phone where the rotary dial or keypad has been disabled by a key lock or other means to prevent unauthorized calls from that phone. It is done by rapidly pressing and releasing the switch hook to open and close the subscriber circuit, simulating the pulses generated by the rotary dial. Even most current telephone exchanges support this method, as they need to be [[Backward compatibility|backward compatible]] with old subscriber hardware.<ref>{{cite web|author=SoftCab |url=http://www.modemspy.com/pulse_dialling.modem |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190323073031/http://www.modemspy.com/pulse_dialling.modem|archive-date=23 March 2019|url-status=dead|title=Phone Call Recorder |publisher=Modemspy.com |access-date=2014-07-24}}</ref>

By rapidly clicking the hook for a variable number of times at roughly 5 to 10 clicks per second, separated by intervals of roughly one second, the caller can dial numbers as if they were using the rotary dial. The pulse counter in the exchange counts the pulses or clicks and interprets them in two possible ways. Depending on continent and country, one click with a following interval can be either "one" or "zero" and subsequent clicks before the interval are additively counted. This renders ten consecutive clicks being either "zero" or "nine", respectively. Some exchanges allow using additional clicks for special controls, but numbers 0-9 now fall in one of these two standards. One special code, "flash", is a very short single click, possible but hard to simulate. Back in the day of rotary dial, technically identical phone sets were marketed in multiple areas of the world, only with plugs matched by country and the dials being bezeled with the local standard numbers.{{citation needed|date=March 2012}}

Such key-locked telephones, if wired to a modern [[DTMF]] capable exchange, can also be exploited by a tone dialer that generates the DTMF tones used by modern keypad units. These signals are now very uniformly standardized worldwide. It is notable that the two methods can be combined: Even if the exchange does not support DTMF, the key lock can be circumvented by switch-hooking, and the tone dialer can be then used to operate automated DTMF controlled services that can not be used with rotary dial.

===2600 hertz===
[[File:Cap’n Crunch, Spielzeugpfeife (2600 Hz).jpg|thumb|A [[Cap'n Crunch]] breakfast cereal toy produced a 2600 hertz tone.]]
{{Main article|2600 hertz}}
The origins of phone phreaking trace back at least to [[Bell System#Nationwide Monopoly|AT&T]]'s implementation of fully automatic [[telephone switches|switches]]. These switches used [[tone dialing]], a form of [[in-band signaling]], and included some tones which were for internal telephone company use.{{citation needed|date=July 2014}} One internal-use tone is a tone of [[2600 Hz]] which causes a telephone switch to think the call had ended, leaving an open carrier line, which can be exploited to provide free long-distance, and international calls.  At that time, long-distance calls were more expensive than local calls.<ref name="robson"/><!-- Sterling also has a description of this somewhere -->

The tone was discovered in approximately 1957,<ref name="robson">{{cite web|url=https://garydrobson.com/2014/06/03/the-origins-of-phreaking/ |first=Gary D. |last=Robson |publisher=Blacklisted! 411 |date=April 2004 |title=The Origins of Phreaking}}</ref> by [[Joybubbles|Joe Engressia]], a blind seven-year-old boy. Engressia had [[absolute pitch|perfect pitch]], and discovered that whistling the [[piano key frequencies|fourth E above middle C]] (a frequency of 2637.02&nbsp;Hz) would stop a dialed phone recording. Unaware of what he had done, Engressia called the phone company and asked why the recordings had stopped. Joe Engressia is considered to be the father of phreaking.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://delontin1.wordpress.com/tag/hacking/| title=COMPLETE HISTORY OF HACKING| last1=DELON| date=February 27, 2008| website=Hacking &#124; LEMNISCATE| access-date= 2014-12-25}}</ref>

Other early phreaks, such as "Bill from New York" (William "Bill" Acker 1953-2015), began to develop a rudimentary understanding of how phone networks worked. Bill discovered that a [[Recorder (musical instrument)|recorder]] he owned could also play the tone at 2600&nbsp;Hz with the same effect. [[John Draper]] discovered through his friendship with Engressia that the free whistles given out in [[Cap'n Crunch]] cereal boxes also produced a 2600&nbsp;Hz tone when blown (providing his nickname, "Captain Crunch"). This allows control of phone systems that work on [[Single-frequency signaling|single frequency]] (SF) controls. One can sound a long whistle to reset the line, followed by groups of whistles (a short tone for a "1", two for a "2", etc.) to dial numbers.<ref>{{cite book | last = Lapsley | first = Phil |author-link=Phil Lapsley | title = Exploding the Phone: The Untold Story of the Teenagers and Outlaws who Hacked Ma Bell | publisher = Grove/Atlantic, corporated  | date = 2013-11-02  | location = New York | isbn =  978-0802120618}}</ref><ref>Lapsley, Phil (February 5, 2013). [https://www.wired.com/2013/02/exploding-the-phone/ "Exploding the Phone: The Untold Story of the Teenagers and Outlaws Who Hacked Ma Bell"]. ''[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]''.</ref>

===Multi frequency===
{{Main|Multi-frequency signaling}}

While single-frequency worked on certain phone routes, the most common signaling on the then long-distance network was [[multi-frequency]] (MF) controls. The slang term for these tones and their use was "Marty Freeman". The specific frequencies required were unknown to the general public until 1954, when the [[Bell System]] published the information in the ''[[Bell System Technical Journal]]'' in an article describing the methods and frequencies used for inter-office signalling. The journal was intended for the company's engineers; however, it found its way to various college campuses across the United States. With this one article, the Bell System accidentally gave away the "keys to the kingdom", and the intricacies of the phone system were at the disposal of people with a knowledge of electronics.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Bell System Technical Journal |date=September 1964 |volume=43 |issue=5 |url=http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/bstj/vol43-1964/bstj-vol43-issue05.html |access-date=24 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314023659/http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/bstj/vol43-1964/bstj-vol43-issue05.html |archive-date=March 14, 2012 |title=Bell System Technical Journal, v43: i5 September 1964}}</ref>

The second generation of phreaks arose at this time, including New Yorkers "Evan Doorbell", "Ben Decibel" and Neil R. Bell and Californians Mark Bernay, Chris Bernay, and "Alan from Canada". Each conducted their own independent exploration and experimentation of the telephone network, initially on an individual basis, and later within groups as they discovered each other in their travels. "Evan Doorbell", "Ben" and "Neil" formed a group of phreaks, known as "Group Bell".  Bernay initiated a similar group named the "Mark Bernay Society". Both Bernay and Evan received fame amongst today's phone phreakers for internet publications of their collection of telephone exploration recordings. These recordings, conducted in the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s are available at Mark's website ''Phone Trips''.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.wideweb.com/phonetrips |title = Phone Trips |access-date = 2008-06-21}}</ref>

===Blue boxes===
[[File:Blue Box at the Powerhouse Museum.jpg|thumbnail|Blue box]]
{{Main|Blue box}}

In October 1971, phreaking was introduced to the masses when [[Esquire (magazine)|''Esquire'']] magazine published a story called "Secrets of the Little Blue Box"<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.lospadres.info/thorg/lbb.html |title = Secrets of the Little Blue Box |access-date = 2010-09-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url = http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/the_spectator/2011/10/steve_jobs_and_the_little_blue_box_how_ron_rosenbaum_s_1971_arti.html |title = Steve Jobs and Me: He said my 1971 article inspired him. His iBook obsessed me. |journal = Slate |date = 7 October 2011 |access-date = 2011-10-12|last1 = Rosenbaum |first1 = Ron }}</ref><ref name="Rosenbaum">{{cite magazine|last1 = Rosenbaum|first1 = Ron|url = http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/the_spectator/2011/10/the_article_that_inspired_steve_jobs_secrets_of_the_little_blue_.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111103003732/http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/the_spectator/2011/10/the_article_that_inspired_steve_jobs_secrets_of_the_little_blue_.html|archive-date = 2011-11-03 |title = "Secrets of the Little Blue Box": The 1971 article about phone hacking that inspired Steve Jobs. |magazine = [[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |date = 7 October 2011 |access-date = 2011-10-12}}</ref> by [[Ron Rosenbaum]]. This article featured Engressia and John Draper prominently, synonymising their names with phreaking. The article also attracted the interest of other soon-to-be phreaks, such as [[Steve Wozniak]] and [[Steve Jobs]], who went on to found [[Apple Computer]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.woz.org/letters/general/03.html |title = Welcome to Woz.org |access-date = 2008-06-21 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180412212620/http://www.woz.org/letters/general/03.html |archive-date = 2018-04-12 |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|author1=Lapsley, Phil|title=The Definitive Story of Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, and Phone Phreaking|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/02/the-definitive-story-of-steve-wozniak-steve-jobs-and-phone-phreaking/273331/|magazine=[[The Atlantic]]|access-date=24 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130224204521/http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/02/the-definitive-story-of-steve-wozniak-steve-jobs-and-phone-phreaking/273331/|archive-date=24 February 2013|location=theatlantic.com|date=20 February 2013}}</ref>

1971 also saw the beginnings of ''YIPL'' (''Youth International Party Line''), a publication started by [[Abbie Hoffman]] and Al Bell to provide information to [[Yippies]] on how to "beat [[The Man|the man]]", mostly involving telephones. In the first issue of ''YIPL'', writers included a "shout-out" to all of the phreakers who provided technological information for the newsletter: "We at YIPL would like to offer thanks to all you phreaks out there."<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Phreaks, Hackers, and Trolls|last=Coleman|first=Gabriella|pages=104}}</ref> In the last issue, YIPL stated:

<blockquote>YIPL believes that education alone cannot affect the System, but education can be an invaluable tool for those willing to use it. Specifically, YIPL will show you why something must be done immediately in regard, of course, to the improper control of the communication in this country by none other than bell telephone company.<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>

In 1973, Al Bell would move YIPL over and start TAP (Technological American Party).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyofphonephreaking.org/docs/yipl-fbi.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://www.historyofphonephreaking.org/docs/yipl-fbi.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |title=Youth International Party Line (YIPL) / Technological American Party (TAP), New York FBI files 100-NY-179649 and 117-NY-2905 (3.2 Mbytes). |access-date=2013-11-30}}</ref> 

Al Bell was denied opening a bank account under the name of ''Technological American Party'', since he was not a [[political party]], so he changed the name to ''Technological Assistance Program'' to get a bank account.<ref name="malicious.life/3/50/YIPL">{{cite web |last1=Levi |first1=Ran |title=SEASON 3 Episode 50 : 'Pa Bell' Vs. Youth International Party Line |url=https://malicious.life/episode/pa_bell_youth_international_party_line/ |website=Malicious Life |access-date=9 May 2022 |quote=The Cheshire Catalyst is Richard Cheshire, former editor of the TAP Newsletter.}}</ref>

TAP developed into a major source for subversive technical information among phreaks and hackers all over the world.{{According to whom|date=July 2014}} Members such as Cheshire Catalyst met with journalists at the 1982 [[West Coast Computer Faire]], where the group provided an address to subscribe to its newsletter ("TAP doesn't have a telephone", Cheshire said).<ref name="markoff19820412">{{Cite magazine |last=Markoff |first=John |date=1982-04-12 |title=Phone phreaks push their own newsletter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YjAEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA3&pg=PA11#v=onepage&q&f=true |access-date=2025-03-16 |magazine=InfoWorld |page=11}}</ref> TAP ran from 1973 to 1984, with Al Bell handing over the magazine to "Tom Edison" in the late 1970s. TAP ended publication in 1984 due mostly to a break-in and arson at Tom Edison's residence in 1983.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://cheshirecatalyst.com/tap.html |title = Cheshire's Book - TAP.HTML |access-date = 2008-06-21}}</ref> Cheshire Catalyst then took over running the magazine for its final (1984) year.

A controversially suppressed article "Regulating the Phone Company In Your Home"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://explodingthephone.com/docs/dbx0431.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://explodingthephone.com/docs/dbx0431.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Regulating the Phone Company In Your Home| date=June 1972|access-date=2019-09-11}}</ref> in [[Ramparts (magazine)|''Ramparts'' magazine]] (June 1972) increased interest in phreaking. This article published simple schematic plans of a "[[Black box (phreaking)|black box]]" used to make free long-distance phone calls, and included a very short parts list that could be used to construct one. AT&T forced ''Ramparts'' to pull all copies from shelves, but not before numerous copies were sold and many regular subscribers received them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://explodingthephone.com/docs/dbx0920.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/http://explodingthephone.com/docs/dbx0920.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live|title=Ma Bell vs. Ramparts|date=1972-05-20|access-date=2019-09-11}}</ref>