Is it a toy? Maybe
Is it a tool? Possibly
Is it a dolphin? Definitely
Is it awesome? Absolutely
The Flipper Zero is an incredible little tool. It's both a cute little Tamagotchi and an incredible security research tool.
In its (apparent) simplicity, it's packed to the brim with sensors and antennas.
It allows for testing and analysis of a wide array of radio protocols, access control systems, etc:
- RF SubGHz Spectrum
- NFCs
- RFIDs
- IButton / 1-Wire
- Infrared Signals
- GPIO Shenanigans (SPI/UART bridging)
- And much more
The Flipper Zero was founded on Kickstarted, i discovered the campaign when it already ended but it took me little to no time to fall in love with it <3
Since receiving my Flipper Zero, i've been playing non-stop with it: I tested multiple cards, protocols, remotes, and frequencies and i delved into more complex firmware modifications.
After a little over a month, i have to say, this device is insane.
It sparked a great interest in the world of radio frequencies, so much so that i got myself an HackRF xD (A story for another post)
Keep in mind that, while it's considered a "general" purpose tool, Flipper Zero has to be used in specific ways. It's neither a magic tool nor a full testing workbench.
For instance, there is a spectrum analyzer available for the Flipper but between the small LCD screen and low-power nature of the components, it's not really the most useful feature.
Initial testing and studying is always best if done in a laboratory-like environment with bench devices like the ACR122U NFC reader paired with nfclib or the aforementioned HackRF (as well as any other SDR).
That being said, if you want to integrate anything specific you can program directly a Flipper application (FAP packages) to load into the device. The FAPs are written mainly in C so it's possible to do some really interesting low-level stuff :)
And if you're crazy enough you can also create an external module to interface with the Flipper's GPIOs. An 802.11 module to expand the Flipper capabilities is already available.
This is, in my opinion, the best part: opensource and customizable!
As of today, the device is still in its early stages but i can only imagine what the Flipper Zero community will be releasing in just a few months.... It's gon be gud
The platform also rocks official fully featured Windows/Mac software and a mobile app. The Flipper app (Android & iOS) connects via Bluetooth to your Flipper Zero and allows you to transfer files, remote control and even update to the device remotely via Bluetooth.
If you want to delve deeper into the topic i'll leave here some interesting resources:
- Official Forum
- Official Documentation
- Awesome Flipper: A repository full cool stuff!
- Flipper Zero Italia community
I'll document in detail some experiments in the future, this post was not meant to be a complete guide but more like an introduction to on Flipper Zero and its capabilities. Especially the field of Radio Frequency is big and includes a lot of physics. Very interesting!
I understand now why there are people with such dedication in Ham Radio
This device is a tool for researchers and hobbyists alike to play, test and study this very field of communication. Flipper Zero is a far cry from key grabber devices (such as the Pandora DX and similar), it's not meant to be used for illegal activities and, if unmodified, has many restrictions in place for this very reason.
I hope i sparked some curiosity, if not for the Flipper Zero itself, at least for this field in communication security.
Thanks for reading & Happy Hacking :)
