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Mitnick’s obsession with hacking began at a young age. As a child in Los Angeles, he cleverly managed to ride the bus for free by manipulating the ticket validation system. Raised in a challenging environment—his father absent and his mother working double shifts—he often sought solace in magic and the thrill of pranks. In high school, he delved into "phone phreaking," a precursor to hacking that involved manipulating telephone networks to make free calls.