UPDATE: justcallmekoko has launched a new iteration of the Marauder (v6) for $60, which includes a sleeker look, options for external antennas, and the ability to update its firmware over Wi-Fi and/or SD card.

The original article continues below.

Penetration testers and security analysts looking for an easily-pocketable tool for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi testing purposes have another option, in the form of the ESP32 Marauder from security tester justcallmekoko.

“The Marauder is a portable penetration testing tool created for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth analysis,” the pseudonymous justcallmekoko explains. “It comes installed with a suite of offensive and defensive tools all running on an ESP32. I was inspired to create this tool by Spacehuhn’s deauther project. I wanted to bring similar functionality to the ESP32 and introduce new Bluetooth capabilities to the tool.”

“The tool itself serves as a portable device used to test and analyze Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices. Use this tool and its firmware with caution as the use of some of its capabilities without explicit consent from the target owner is unlawful in most countries.”

The firmware justcallmekoko has created is compatible with any ESP32-based development board, and designed to provide feedback via a 2.8″ ILI9341-based TFT touchscreen display. The pre-assembled versions take the firmware and install it onto a custom PCB with Espressif ESP32-WROOM chip at its heart and an integrated lithium-polymer charging circuit for power on the go.

The custom PCB is powered by an ESP32-WROOM. (: justcallmekoko)

The entire unit is then enclosed in a 3D-printed chassis, which in the case of the pre-assembled version comes in a selection of colors: black, “Galaxy Black,” neon green, and silver. Justcallmekoko warns, however, that “most of the work so far has been put into designing the hardware,” meaning that the current release has “limited firmware capabilities” — but that development is ongoing to add new features and functionality.

More details on the project can be found on GitHub, where the firmware, hardware, and 3D print files can be downloaded; the pre-assembled ESP32 Marauder, meanwhile, can be purchased from Tindie. source

source

BLEShark Nano: A Compact Wireless Multi-Tool for Hackers

InfiShark’s BLEShark Nano Is a Pocket-Friendly Espressif ESP32-Powered Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Tool

Built around a Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3, this tiny tool delivers powerful potential — but in a proprietary firmware.

A portable device for testing Bluetooth. Wi-Fi, and Infrared vulnerabilities—including games, apps, auto updates, and a buttery-smooth interface.

The multi-functional Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Wi-Fi security-testing and debugging tool is priced at at $35, at claimed 10 percent discount over the eventual retail price — with discounts rising if you need more than one unit, maxing out at 20 per cent for “early bird” backers of a five-pack.

The campaign is now live on Kickstarter, with all hardware expected to ship in March or April 2025.

Original article continues below.

Ontario-based InfiShark Tech is preparing to launch a crowdfunding campaign for the BLEShark Nano, an Espressif ESP32-powered tool designed for testing Bluetooth and Wi-Fi systems for vulnerabilities.

“The BLEShark Nano is a pocket-sized [Espressif] ESP32 based device that brings a massive amount of pentesting features, apps, and games into a very compact device,” the company writes of its creation. “In a sense, it is the Swiss Army knife of wireless tools. The BLEShark Nano packs a surprising array of features designed for network testing and experimentation, making it an accessible and effective tool for those interested in cybersecurity!”

InfiShark’s BLEShark Nano is an upcoming Seeed XIAO ESP32C3-based pentesting tool for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. (: InfiShark Tech)

The Swiss Army Knife of Hacking Tools.

The compact gadget, housed in a 3D-printed case, features a 0.66″ OLED display below which three tactile buttons act as the user interface. Inside the housing is a Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32C3 microcontroller board and a 500mAh battery — good, the company claims, for an average of 10 hours of active use between charges.

In use, the firmware delivers a range of tools designed for penetration testing of wireless networks: BLE Beacon spamming, Wi-Fi access point spamming, captive portal creation, and Bad-BT keystroke injection — plus a selection of reimplementations of classic arcade games like Space Invaders and Pong, for downtime. The gadget can also be used as a Bluetooth remote, with plans to launch additional features including infrared support.

InfiShark is planning to launch a crowdfunding campaign for the gadget at the end of this month, with interested parties invited to sign up on Kickstarter to be notified when it goes live. Additional details are available on Hackaday.io and the company website, though while the company maintains a GitHub repository with STL files for the case it says the firmware is “proprietary and closed-source.” source

---

BLEShark Nano: Your Ultimate Wireless Testing Companion

The BLEShark Nano combines cutting-edge technology with an intuitive interface, offering full control over wireless network interactions. Whether you’re securing your network or developing custom apps and games, this tool provides the flexibility and power you need.

Now, let’s get into the features and functions in more detail!

 What is it?

The BLEShark Nano is an all-in-one sleek & compact multi-tool for hackers, tech enthusiasts, and cybersecurity beginners. With features like Wi-Fi, BLE, and IR pentesting tools, getting into cybersecurity has never been easier to access with the BLEShark Nano.

The BLEShark Nano is a powerful, ESP-32-based tool for attacks like Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) spamming, Wi-Fi spamming, deauthentication attacks, a wide range of network testing functions, and even various wireless apps. With its sleek OLED interface, exploring and testing vulnerabilities in BLE and Wi-Fi networks has never been more intuitive or accessible. A 500mah battery keeps it on for 4+ hours while spamming. The durable case is 3D printed with PLA-CF, closed up tightly with M3x12 screws and brass inserts.

 Why did we make it?

We built the BLEShark Nano to empower security researchers and hobbyists with a compact, cheap, unique and versatile tool for assessing vulnerabilities in BLE and Wi-Fi bands. It’s an all-in-one platform designed to educate and inspire, offering a hands-on approach to wireless security without the need for multiple, specialized tools.

 What makes it special?

What sets the BLEShark Nano apart is its ability to automatically download and run custom firmware that unlocks a suite of:

• BLE spoofing (and spamming),
• Wi-Fi beacon spamming,
• Captive portals,
• Wi-Fi deauth attacks,
• Games,
• BadBT,
• Apps (like a TikTok scroller),
• Automatic Updates,
• And much more.
• Upcoming Features include:
• Handshake Capturing,
• BadUSB,
• Evil Portal Cred Detector,
• And MUCH more.

Whether you’re conducting professional network assessments or diving into wireless security as a hobby, the BLEShark Nano offers an unparalleled combination of power, ease-of-use, and flexibility.

• Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it’s designed for portability and ease of use, no matter where you are. The BLEShark Nano offers all the power of high-end wireless testing gear in a sleek, easy-to-carry form.
• No extra hardware or accessories needed: The BLEShark Nano is a fully self-sufficient device, unlike many other tools that require additional setups or builds to work effectively.
• 500mAh Rechargeable Battery: A massive internal battery provides up to 16 hours of continuous operation with BLE, and up to 6 hours of continuous operation with Wi-Fi on a full charge. On average, you can expect 10 hours of use per charge.

Using Bluetooth Low Energy, you can broadcast connection requests to many devices – great for testing your device’s Bluetooth capabilities. Select specific targets like Android, Windows, iOS, or Samsung devices. In addition, you can use this feature across all platforms simultaneously.

This feature works by broadcasting BLE advertisement packets, which trigger popups or notifications on various devices like Android, iOS, Windows, and Samsung. This is achieved by sending out specially crafted packets that mimic legitimate Bluetooth service requests or notifications, thus creating popups on the targeted devices with pairing prompts or similar connection requests.

With the BLEShark Nano, you can create and broadcast hundreds of custom Wi-Fi network names (SSIDs) for legitimate testing and educational activities. Whether you’re testing network resilience, conducting penetration testing, or performing network traffic management simulations, the BLEShark Nano empowers you to generate Wi-Fi networks in a controlled environment. Create networks with randomly generated SSIDs, rickrolls, funny names, duplicate SSIDs, and custom creations.

This feature is particularly useful for security professionals and network administrators who want to see how their infrastructure handles a large number of SSID broadcasts, test how devices react to duplicate or misleading network names, or to simulate a public environment.

Any Bluetooth-enabled device completely trusts any Bluetooth-connected input devices like keyboards and mice. The BLEShark Nano can emulate a Bluetooth HID device, allowing it to be recognized by the target system as a normal Bluetooth keyboard. You can write your own payloads to send any key sequence over Bluetooth, enabling control over the target device, just like the USB Rubber Ducky—but wirelessly. This can be used for testing Bluetooth input vulnerabilities or automating actions on target devices.

This feature allows you to write and upload custom scripts that are then executed over a Bluetooth connection. This enables the BLEShark Nano to send precise and pre-programmed keystroke sequences to any paired device. You can deploy attacks like opening terminal windows, launching programs, or even typing commands—all without needing physical access to the target.

This is a great tool for vulnerability testing, penetration tests, or simply automating common actions on paired devices.

The BLEShark Nano takes network control and testing to the next level with its powerful captive portal feature. A captive portal is a webpage that users must interact with before gaining access to a network. You’ve probably encountered these on public Wi-Fi networks that require you to log in, accept terms of service, or enter a password. The BLEShark Nano allows you to create your own customized captive portal that you can deploy instantly across any Wi-Fi network you set up.

This feature works by creating a Wi-Fi access point (AP) that any device can connect to, but instead of granting full internet access, it redirects users to a web page that you control. Whether you want to conduct security assessments or just show off your creative custom pages, the captive portal offers endless possibilities for network testing. Once users connect to your network, they are automatically directed to your captive portal without needing to type anything into the browser.

You might be thinking, what are some use cases of this (without actual internet)?

• Interactive Games:
  Embed small games or quizzes to keep users engaged, even when they’re not accessing the web.
• Informational Pages:
  Set up informational splash pages to share important content with users who connect to your Wi-Fi network.
• Wi-Fi Terms and Conditions:
  Create a terms and conditions page that must be accepted before connecting to the internet. This is a common feature of public Wi-Fi networks, which can demonstrate how users often accept such agreements without reading the fine print.

Unlike many existing tools, the BLEShark Nano offers a fully standalone captive portal feature. There’s no need for additional hardware, complex setups, or relying on external networks. Simply power it on, set up your portal, and start testing or demonstrating its capabilities in seconds.

The BLEShark Nano also doubles as a mini entertainment hub! Whether you’re waiting for a process to finish or just looking for a bit of fun, these built-in games will keep you entertained wherever you are.

Play timeless arcade hits, including:

• Flappy Bird: Test your reflexes and skill by guiding the bird through endless obstacles. Simple to play, hard to master!
• Invaders: Take command of your spaceship and defend Earth from waves of aliens in this legendary shoot ’em up.
• Pong: Experience the game that started it all—bounce the ball back and forth in this iconic two-player challenge, available for solo play against AI or multiplayer fun.
• Breakout: Smash your way through walls of bricks with a bouncing ball in this addictive classic.
• T-rex game: It’s the classic “no internet” game! Jump over the cacti in the desert!

The BLEShark Nano is packed with many convenient apps to simplify tasks and keep you entertained. These built-in tools are designed for both practical use and a bit of fun. Let’s get into them!

TxtViewer:
Easily view and navigate through custom text files, perfect for notes, presentations, or documentation. With smooth scrolling, seamless word wrapping, and an intuitive built-in scroll bar, you can browse long documents effortlessly – even on the tiny display. (Yep, you can use this for exams )

Video Scroller:
Connect effortlessly to your phone and unlock a suite of functions with the press of a button. Control every aspect of your watching experience – just pair with the BLEShark Nano first!

Mini Programmable Keypad:
Take control with a customizable keypad that fits in the palm of your hand. Using BLE, assign up to 8 shortcuts, to streamline your workflow or gaming. Whether for productivity or fun, it offers quick access to your favorite commands.

For more information about this app, visit here.

Timers:
Set timers with ease, with options ranging from 1 second to 99 minutes. Perfect for quick tasks, workouts, studying, or reminders. Just a few taps and you’re ready to go, all managed from the BLEShark Nano.

Stopwatch:
Transform your device into a sleek, easy-to-use stopwatch. With just a tap, you can start, stop, and reset the stopwatch with absolute precision.

Stay effortlessly updated with automatic updates, ensuring you never miss out on exciting new features. Each update introduces a variety of enhancements, and we’re dedicated to continuously expanding our offerings. Your BLEShark Nano will only improve over time, making it an even more powerful tool!

The BLEShark Nano offers an extensive range of customization options through the Extra Settings Mode, giving you full control over the device’s behavior and features. It creates its own captive portal, allowing you to connect and manage all settings directly from your browser on any connected device. The sleek and intuitive user interface ensures simple customization, with transitions and an optional extra dark mode for easy navigation.

Emergency Mode: 
Sometimes, you may have to get away from an app quickly, and that’s where the Emergency Mode of the BLEShark Nano comes into play. By holding the left and right buttons together for half a second, you can instantly launch Flappy Bird, no matter where you are in the device. It might sound a bit unconventional, but when the situation calls for it, a quick switch to a harmless game could be just what you need.

SPIFFS System:
The SPIFFS (Serial Peripheral Interface Flash File System) integration in the BLEShark Nano ensures that every little configuration and setting you make on the device is securely stored, so you never lose your work. This powerful embedded file system is used to save your custom settings, Wi-Fi SSIDs, BLE spam configurations, captive portal credentials, captive portal HTML code, TxtViewer files, Ducky Scripts, and much more, directly onto the device’s onboard memory.

With SPIFFS, even if the BLEShark Nano is powered off, reset, or updated, all your configurations remain safe, providing seamless continuity for your work. No need to constantly re-enter or reconfigure your preferred settings—your personalized setup is always ready to go!

More Games:
We will add some more classics like a high-speed racing/drifting game, a platformer, and more!

BadUSB:
Instead of using Bluetooth, you can transform the device into a USB device, allowing you to execute powerful scripts quickly and efficiently.

PC Monitor: 
Using BLE, you can connect your BLEShark Nano to your PC to monitor real-time performance metrics, including CPU, GPU, and memory usage, all at a glance!

Custom Apps: 
Build and run your own custom apps directly on the device, tailored to your imagination. Want to share your creation? Submit it to us, and your app could become part of the official firmware for the entire BLEShark Nano community to enjoy!

If you’re excited to discover even more features we’re planning to add, check out our GitHub for the latest updates and future developments!

• It’s Extremely Affordable: Similar tools can cost hundreds of dollars or require custom builds – the BLEShark Nano is priced with accessibility in mind.
• It Has an Easy Setup: No coding or technical expertise required to get started. Charge it up (if not shipped pre-charged), complete the easy setup (for OTA updates), and you’re ready to go!
• It’s Built for the Future: As technology evolves, so will your BLEShark Nano. We are committed to continually releasing firmware updates with new features and improvements!
• Unique Features: Unlike other tools, the BLEShark Nano includes built-in apps and games, adding functionality and entertainment that competitors lack.

On top of this, we will also:

Create Better Packaging: We’ll design premium packaging that not only protects your BLEShark Nano but also elevates your unboxing experience. The new packaging will feature an amazing design with eco-friendly materials and organized compartments for each accessory.

($7,500) Infrared Control Capability

Hitting this goal unlocks an all-new infrared transceiver, allowing BLEShark Nano to control a wide range of electronics like TVs, air conditioners, LED lights, and stereo systems. We’ll also include a preset library for easy setup, adding powerful new functionality not available in the original version.

($10,000) Expanded Color Choices

At this level, we’ll introduce more color options, including a transparent case and a crisp, modern white. These additional colors let you personalize your BLEShark Nano to your style.

($12,500) Custom Silicone Protection

When we reach our final goal, we’ll introduce a durable, soft silicone case custom-fitted for the BLEShark Nano. Choose from a range of colors to add a unique, protective touch to your device. As a token of our appreciation, every backer will receive 30% off the silicone bumper!

To craft the best BLEShark Nano possible, we had to create a lot of prototypes. Each of these prototypes helped shape the final product. Here are some of the prototypes we’ve built:

We’re excited to continue pushing boundaries with each new update, ensuring the BLEShark Nano grows with you. And with its blend of cutting-edge features, ease of use, and affordability, it’s more than just a tool—it’s a gateway to innovation.

So whether you’re testing Bluetooth vulnerabilities, creating custom Wi-Fi networks, or just passing the time with some games, the BLEShark Nano has you covered.

Note: USB-C cable not included with shipment. Another note: This is a prototype of the final product, some hardware features may vary. source

Check out our github repo for more information INCLUDING source code: https://github.com/grdashark/BLEShark

GET YOUR HERE

Access ANY Network (remotely) What is a Hacker Dropbox?

What is a Hacker Dropbox? (and why you need one….even if you aren’t a hacker)

Build your Hacker Dropbox with Twingate (it’s free): https://ntck.co/twingate_ztna
Raspberry Pi Imager: https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/
Buy a Raspberry Pi: Raspberry Pi 4: amazon.com
Raspberry Pi 5: amazon.com

• Here is a great definition from ChatGPT: a small, discreet, and often portable device designed to be covertly placed in a target network to provide remote access for a hacker or penetration tester. It typically contains hardware and software configured to exploit the network or collect sensitive information.
• If you’re a hacker…this is a no brainer. Get instant access to a remote network by dropping off a device. But….if you’re not a hacker…why do you need this?

Family HelpDesk Support

• If you’re like me, you are likely the official technical support for your family and friends. I also inherited the role of helpdesk support for my church…these kinds of things just happen by default when you are in tech and people find out about your technical skills.
• This isn’t an easy thing to do, especially when it comes to troubleshooting networks for your family. Is the network up? Why is it slow? Sometimes a FaceTime call just isn’t going to cut it.
• If I’m going to be the support for my church and family, I’m going to take my role seriously. I need FULL control of the remote network……no more playing around!!!
• With the Hacker Dropbox, I can drop off a small device, in my case it’s going to be a Raspberry Pi 4. (it can be a lot of things, as long as the device is Linux-based and is 64-bit). Instantly I get access to this remote network, enabling me to provide remote support and access any device.

This is NOT VPN

• This is not a VPN (VIrtual Private Network) solution….it’s much better.
• This is a ZTNA (Zero-Trust Network Access) solution. It’s called Twingate and I’ve been using them for a long time in my business and personal networks. I talk more about them in the video above but in short, they allow you to get and give remote access to networks in the most secure way. They are used by everyone from large enterprises to homelabbers looking to access their Plex server.
• This isn’t the first video I’ve made about them but this is the first time I’ve featured a use-case like this.
• Oh, it’s also FREE for home labbers. (And…cough….businesses that don’t have a ton of employees….like me.)

You don’t need to know ANYTHING about the network

• I wanted this to be a turnkey solution even if you don’t know anything about the remote network. All you’ll have to do is plug in an ethernet cable (or connect to wifi….but you’ll need to know the SSID and password) and you will know everything you need to know about that network…..but how?
• Twingate has a powerful API that allows us to do many things…including write python scripts that will automagically tell us the private IP address of our Hacker Dropbox (Raspberry Pi) and the Public IP address of the network, giving us instant access to this Hacker Dropbox AND the network.
• This guide will contain that script.

What do you need?

• Any Linux-based 64-bit system will do. You’ll need at least 1 CPU and 2GB RAM (recommended)…but you can go as low as 512MB of RAM.
• You can also run this as a Docker container, which is my favorite way to deploy this in my home lab.
• In this example, with the Hacker Dropbox, I’m using a Raspberry Pi 4 running Raspberry Pi OS Lite – 64-bit and installing it directly on the system (no docker container)

What other hardware options do I have?

Again, this can be many things, but here are some ideas to get the juices flowing:

• ZImaboard
• Raspberry Pi 4/5
• Raspberry Pi 400/500
• Old laptops
• NAS
• Intel NUC or other mini-pcs

The Tutorial

Step 1 – Setup Twingate

This setup is VERY easy and is all done in the cloud.

• Sign up for Twingate here: https://ntck.co/twingate_ztna
  • You’ll create a new Twingate network

!

Step 2 – Add your first remote network

You will be prompted to go through a wizard, we can skip that for now.

• Click on Remote Networks

!

• And then add a Remote Network

!

• Choose on-premise for location

!

• Once created, we’ll click on the remote network link to jump in and add more config…like adding a connector.

!

Step 2.5 – Prep your Hacker Dropbox

• This will vary based on what device you choose but this will normally involve installing a compatible OS (64-bit Linux OS) and getting access to your device via CLI.
• I demo flashing an SD-card for the Raspberry Pi 4 in the video.

Step 3 – Adding a connector for your remote network

The connector, in our case, will be the Hacker Dropbox, a linux-based device running Twingate software, aka, The Connector

• Click on Deploy Connector

!

• Good practice, run sudo apt update to make sure all your repos are up-to-date (this will different for you if you are running something that isn’t Debian-based)
• For the Raspberry Pi example, we are installing the Twingate connector directly on the OS, no container. So we’ll select Linux as our option.

!

• Now, generate your access tokens. These will automatically be added the command we’ll use to install Twingate here in a moment.

!

• Copy the provided command

!

• Paste that command in your terminal and watch the magic happen.

!

!

• We are actually….done. Check Twingate to see if your connector is up.

!

Step 4 – Add a remote WiFi Network (if not using ethernet)

• This will be Raspberry Pi specific.
• Run this command to access the NetworkManager TUI

sudo nmtui

• Edit a connection

!

• Select Add

!

• Select WiFi

!

• Add SSID and Password (you’ll need to know this for the remote network)

!

• Select Ok and then hit ESC to save and get out of there.

Step 5 – Use the Twingate API to learn about the remote network

You only need this option if this is a network you are unfamiliar with. So, for example, you might be offering remote support for your family and you will likely already know their network, 192.168.1.0/24 (for example) and you may have set the static IP address of your Hacker Dropbox and can easily, manually add this as a resource in Twingate.

• Generate an API token

!

• Our script will be provisioning resources so we’ll need to give it a good amount of access.

!

• Copy that key and put it somewhere safe.

!

Run the Python Script

• You’ll need another computer, can be anything that can run Python. (which…can be anything, Windows, Mac, Linux.)
• You’ll also need Python3 installed, refer to your OS-specific documentation to install Python.

Create the script

• Create a new python script

nano twingate.py

• paste the following script
• Replace the following variables:
  • API_URL
  • API_KEY
  • TARGET_NETWORK_NAME

from gql import gql, Client
from gql.transport.requests import RequestsHTTPTransport

# Twingate API settings
API_URL = "https://****your Twingate network here****.twingate.com/api/graphql/"  # Replace <subdomain> with your Twingate subdomain
API_KEY = "YOUR TWINGATE API KEY"
TARGET_NETWORK_NAME = "YOUR REMOTE NETWORK"  # Replace with your target network name

QUERY_REMOTE_NETWORKS = gql("""
query GetRemoteNetworkDetails {
  remoteNetworks(after: null, first: 10) {
    edges {
      node {
        id
        name
        connectors {
          edges {
            node {
              id
              name
              publicIP
              privateIPs
              remoteNetwork {
                id
                name
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
""")

MUTATION_CREATE_RESOURCE = gql("""
mutation CreateResource($name: String!, $address: String!, $remoteNetworkId: ID!) {
  resourceCreate(
    name: $name,
    address: $address,
    remoteNetworkId: $remoteNetworkId
  ) {
    ok
    error
    entity {
      id
      name
      address {
        type
        value
      }
    }
  }
}
""")

def setup_client():
    transport = RequestsHTTPTransport(
        url=API_URL,
        headers={"X-API-KEY": API_KEY},
        use_json=True,
    )
    return Client(transport=transport, fetch_schema_from_transport=True)

def get_target_network(client):
    response = client.execute(QUERY_REMOTE_NETWORKS)
    for edge in response["remoteNetworks"]["edges"]:
        network = edge["node"]
        if network["name"] == TARGET_NETWORK_NAME:
            return network
    return None

def create_resource(client, name, address_value, remote_network_id):
    params = {
        "name": name,
        "address": address_value,
        "remoteNetworkId": remote_network_id
    }
    response = client.execute(MUTATION_CREATE_RESOURCE, variable_values=params)
    if not response["resourceCreate"]["ok"]:
        raise Exception(f"Failed to create resource: {response['resourceCreate']['error']}")
    return response["resourceCreate"]["entity"]

def automate_resource_creation():
    client = setup_client()

    print(f"Searching for target network: {TARGET_NETWORK_NAME}...")
    target_network = get_target_network(client)

    if not target_network:
        print(f"Network '{TARGET_NETWORK_NAME}' not found.")
        return

    print(f"Found network: {target_network['name']}")
    remote_network_id = target_network['id']

    for connector_edge in target_network["connectors"]["edges"]:
        connector = connector_edge["node"]
        public_ip = connector.get("publicIP")
        private_ips = connector.get("privateIPs", [])

        if public_ip:
            resource_name = f"Resource-Public-{public_ip.replace('.', '-')}"
            print(f"Creating Resource for public IP: {public_ip}...")
            resource = create_resource(client, resource_name, public_ip, remote_network_id)
            print(f"Resource created: {resource['name']} (ID: {resource['id']}, Address: {resource['address']['value']})")

        for private_ip in private_ips:
            resource_name = f"Resource-Private-{private_ip.replace('.', '-')}"
            print(f"Creating Resource for private IP: {private_ip}...")
            resource = create_resource(client, resource_name, private_ip, remote_network_id)
            print(f"Resource created: {resource['name']} (ID: {resource['id']}, Address: {resource['address']['value']})")

if __name__ == "__main__":
    try:
        automate_resource_creation()
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"Error: {e}")

• Save the file.

Now, we’ll create a python virtual environment

• This will make sure we can install packages and prerequisites without hurting your other projects. (if you have some….if you don’t…that’s okay….it’s just good practice)
• First make sure you have it installed. See below for Linux.

sudo apt install python3-venv -y

• Also make sure you install PIP

sudo apt install python3-pip

• Now create a Python virtual environment and activate it.

python3 -m venv twingatesomething

source twingatesomething/bin/activate

• Install the pre-reqs

pip install gql requests requests.toolbelt

• Type to run the script

python3 twingate.py

• Check your resources in Twingate…you should see something cool

!

WiFi “Ghost Frame”, What Is It?

A WiFi Ghost frame is a term widely used in the WiFi community lately. It is not a part of the 802.11 standard, it is just a term many uses.

Some say it is a frame the receiver don’t hear, other say the receiver don’t understand. Both are wrong.

So what is it?. I will try to explain.

 

Contraints
I am only talking about frames in the 5GHz band and non-HT, HT and VHT frame formats. HE frame formats is not considered.
I assume the reader knows something about 802.11. I don’t explain the basic stuff.
The wireless frame in this article is sent by the AP.

 

Background
An 802.11 frame consists mainly of two parts. The Preamble (also called the Physical header), and the Data field, like this

The Preamble is always sent with BPSK modulation and 1/2 coding. It has different contents depended whether the Data field is non-HT, HT or VHT frame, but the modulation and coding are always BPSK 1/2. The Data field is sent with a modulation and coding scheme decided by the transmitter. The modulation scheme can be BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM, 64-QAM, or 256-QAM. And there are different coding schemes. BPSK 1/2 is a more robust modulation and coding scheme than the others and will therefore have a “longer” range.
This can be shown in a figure like this:

Communication between the AP and STA1 will be done with an appropriate mcs-index/data rate. STA2 will in the case hear/receive the full-frame from the AP, but it will only successfully demodulate the preamble unless the frame is a 6mbs (BPSK 1/2) frame. The data field in the frame from the AP will not be successfully demodulated by STA2 and it will not be able to extract the information in it.

A scenario with minimum basic rate set to 12mbs
So let us make a scenario where the minimum basic rate in the BSS is set to 12mbs (QPSK 1/2). This means many of the frames in the BSS is sent at 12mbs, frames like Beacon and the other management frames, and most of the control frames. Data frames are usually sent with higher rates. According to the standard, a station needs an RSSI of -79dBm to be able to receive and successfully demodulate a 12mbs frame (QPSK 1/2), while it needs -82dBm for 6mbs (BPSK 1/2). And if we have a designed network with cell edges at -67dBm, it will look like this:

In this figure I have used these parameters:
– free space path loss (FSPL)
– a 6dB degradation of RSSI for each doubling of the distance
– cell size for the APs coverage area till -67dBm (often called the “want” area)

 

In figure 3 we have STA1 inside our designed coverage cell, STA2 is inside the edge for successfully demodulating of the 12mbs frames and STA3 is in an area where it will successfully demodulate the preamble from the AP, but not the data field of the frame.

So what happens at STA3
Let us consider a frame sent from the AP at 12mbs and see what happens at STA3.
First STA3 will receive the preamble with BPSK 1/2 and later the data field with QPSK 1/2.
STA3 knows, based on the standard, that the preamble is modulated with BPSK 1/2. Since this is an 12mbs frame it is also a 802.11a frame. The Signal field in the preamble will therefore tell about the data rate for the data field (12 mbs or QPSK 1/2).
If it was a mcs frame, the preamble would have an additional field (HT/VHT preamble) which informs of the data rate for the data field

Demodulation of this frame
If we look at the constellation mapper for BPSK and QPSK from the 802.11 standards it looks like this:

During demodulation, the receiver does a Fast Fourier Transform. The FFT basically interpret the amplitude and phase of each subcarrier and the output is a complex number with this format:

d=(I+jQ) x Kmod. We will not consider the Kmod now and assume it is 1

For the preamble, the receiver knows it is BPSK and the Q value in the formula is not considered. As long it predicts each subcarrier has a phase either in the first or the fourth quadrant it gives a result d=1 and it is a bit value of “1”. If the phase for each subcarrier is in the second or the third quadrant it will give a result of d=-1 and a bit value of “0”. Like this:

Keith Parsons have a great video on modulation,

Since STA3 barely is able to demodulate the preamble correctly we can assume the result of the FFT for all subcarriers will be all over the first and fourth quadrant (red rectangle) for “1”, and likewise for “0” in the second and third quadrant (blue rectangle).

Next, during the reception of the data field, the energy in the signal is still the same, but this time each subcarrier FFT phase result must hit inside a single quadrant to give its correct bit value. For example, a hit in the first quadrant (d=1+j) will give a bit value of “11”.
But the quality of the received signal is the same as for the preamble. Since we assumed the result from the FFT will hit all around in the first and fourth quadrant for a “1” for BPSK, the result will for a phase value that should have given a bit value of “11” be like this:

This will happen for every subcarrier in a symbol. For some subcarriers, the FFT will predict the correct value of d=1+j (11). But for other subcarriers, the FFT will predict either d=-1+j (01) or d=1-j (10). The FEC (forward error correction) build into the decoder will be able to correct some of the bit values, but not all.
The reception can fail here if the receiver is not able to extract the Service field of the data field correctly.
If the receiver sends the demodulated bit values up to the MAC layer, the bit pattern is processed there. One of the things that happen in the MAC layer is to find the Type and Subtype field in the 802.11 MAC header to decide what type of frame it is, and at last the full data field will be checked with a CRC control. But since there is a lot of bit faults in the bitstream, it will fail somewhere.

Probably, the reception will fail in the de-modulator, at layer 1. But if the bit pattern is been sent to the MAC layer it will fail there, at layer 2.

To summarize this for STA3:

• The preamble (BPSK 1/2) will be successfully received, demodulated and, understood in the receiver, at layer 1
• The data field (QPSK 1/2) is received with the same power level at the receiver, at layer 1. But because the demodulation process output will have so many fault bit values it will probably fail at layer 1
• If the bit pattern is sent up till the MAC layer, at layer 2, it will fail there
• So, the full-frame is heard and received, at least at layer 1. But it will fail and will not be interpreted at layer 2 or higher.
• STA3 will therefore do at least two thing
  • Understand the preamble with the Signal field and can calculate the duration of this frame
  • It will not be able to receive the NAV-timer from the MAC header, but it will sense/hear 802.11 modulated signal patterns during the full duration of the frame. If it not going into sleep mode for this duration of time

 

What are the consequences?
First of all, this does not happen inside of the -67dBm cell coverage of our AP. It is either in another BSS or if we, in our network have two BSSs on the same channel at some distance away from each other

If STA3 is a non-AP STA (client) it will have to stay quiet during the duration of the frame
If STA3 is an AP it will have to stay quiet during the duration of the frame, and it could report at airtime utilization value based on the duration.
If STA3 is a spectrum analyzer it could visualize the energy received
If STA3 is a capturing device it would not show anything

How to mitigate this behavior?
If we let 6mbs be the minimum basic rate, both the preamble and the data field for, at least the control and management frames, will be using BPSK 1/2 modulation and coding scheme, and the Beacons/BSS will be visible in a Wlan scanner tool. And all the 6mbs frames could be captured for protocol analyses.
The BSS Coloring feature in 802.11ax would be perfect to use to mitigate this challenge. But that could be described in another article. source

The closing
I hope this is useful.
I have learned a lot.
Please, give feedback if you want

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Internet advertisements have become very obtrusive and more apparent over the last several years. Users conducting research from various sources on the web are often met with a vexatious experience full of distractions. Children watching YouTube videos that have inappropriate advertisement content embedded in the videos are also becoming a concern for many parents. Normally users will install ad-blocking software and extensions on their operating systems and web browsers. Most of the software installed for ad-blocking purposes ends up not being updated and extensions for web browsers often stop working when the web browser itself has been updated.

A more efficient solution is now available thanks to single board computing.  The Raspberry Pi being the most readily available single board computer. For a mere $16 anyone can have a multi-platform, network-wide ad blocker on their local network. This software plays very nice in both office and home networks. Pi-hole offers a wonderful dashboard with real time analytics if you’re someone who loves numbers.

Below is an example of a Raspberry Pi, with Pi-hole installed showing real time stats via an LCD installed on the Raspberry Pi:

So what is needed to get this project going?

• Raspberry Pi Kit – $16
• Ethernet Cable (Optional) – $6
• Screen for Raspberry Pi (Optional) -$20

After you have purchased these components it’s very simple to install Pi-hole.

You can install an Operating System image on your Raspberry Pi. Step-by-step directions are provided and the entire process takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

Installing Pi-hole:

1. Install Pi-hole on the Raspberry Pi. The program can be downloaded here or via the install “curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash|”” command.
2. Configure your router DHCP settings to force clients in using your PI-hole as their DNS server. You can also manually configure each device but that takes much more time than blocking ads on the whole network at once. This step sounds more difficult than it actually is. The only thing that you have to change are some ports and DNS settings on your router. Most routers have this setting displaying on the main page and it can be changed within a matter of a few seconds. A straightforward guide is provided on Pi-Holes official site.
3. Completion! Your Pi-hole blocks all advertisements at a DNS level. This means your whole network is protected and any device connected will automatically block online commercials even inside Apps and programs. You have freed your laptop, iPhone, Nexus tablet and desktop PC from all online commercials! Enjoy faster loading times on all your favorite websites and apps.

If you’d like to pull up Pi-holes nifty dashboard and see how many advertisements were blocked from your entire network you’ll see a clean interface exactly like the one below :

Fun Facts About Pi-hole :

– The code is completely open, and you are able to modify it in any way you’d like. (Yay for open-source!)
– Pi-hole is very lightweight as it only handles DNS queries and returns a blank HTML file so it doesn’t need much processing power. (Yay for efficiency!)
– Pi-hole will run on most Debian-based distros and is the preferred platform for it.(Yay for compatibility!) source

Block Internet ads at home with Pi-hole

LETS DIVE DEEPER….

How does Pi-hole work?

Pi-hole blocks ads by acting as a DNS sinkhole.

To understand what a DNS sinkhole is, you need to understand what DNS is. Here are a few key terms:

IP address: unique numeric address of a web resource (e.g. 104.22.23.160)

DNS: Domain Name System, associates domain names with IP addresses

DNS server: a server that translates domain names into IP addresses

Domain Name: unique alphanumeric address of a web resource (e.g. raspberrypi.com)

When you type www.raspberrypi.com into your browser, your computer asks a DNS server where to find that domain. The DNS server responds with an IP address (e.g. 104.22.23.160). Then your computer queries that IP address for the resource you’re looking for.We use domain names because IP addresses aren’t very human-readable; it’s a lot easier to read and write “raspberrypi.com” than four bytes’ worth of numbers.Usually, your computer queries a DNS server hosted somewhere on the internet. It might be hosted by your internet provider, a website hosting company, or any company that runs a lot of servers. Your machine submits a domain, and the DNS server returns the IP address corresponding to that domain. The DNS server doesn’t care if the domain provides something you want (like the article you’re trying to read) or an ad. It just resolves domains into IP addresses.

Here’s where Pi-hole comes in. Pi-hole stands between your network and a DNS server. Consider a client device, like your smart toilet, performing a DNS lookup for a domain. The Pi-hole in your network acts like a DNS server; DNS lookups from all client devices, whether that’s your smart toilet or your phone, go to the Pi-hole.

But Pi-hole doesn’t store a perfect up-to-date mapping of all domain names to all IP addresses. Instead, Pi-hole queries a real DNS server outside of your network. However, before it queries that real DNS server, Pi-hole checks a blocklist. If the domain passes this filter, Pi-hole requests the IP address from the DNS server, and returns it to the client device on your network. If the domain doesn’t pass the filter — if it’s included on the blocklist — Pi-hole returns a non-routable address such as 0.0.0.0.

The following diagram shows a lookup via a Pi-hole for the unblocked domain raspberrypi.com:

The following diagram shows a lookup via a Pi-hole for the blocked domain raspberryads.com:

TL;DR: Pi-hole blocks requests made to ad domains from your network, before the requests ever leave your network. Your client devices can’t connect to domains that host ads, but can connect to domains that host useful content.

Overview

To install a Pi-hole in your network, you’ll need to do the following things:

1. Configure a Raspberry Pi running Raspberry Pi OS.
2. Set up Pi-hole software on your Raspberry Pi.
3. Direct DNS queries on your network to your Raspberry Pi.

Supplies

• Raspberry Pi
• suitable power supply (see the documentation for details)
• microSD card (see the documentation for details)
• adapter to connect your microSD card with your usual computer
• USB cable (check your 3D printer for details)

For the initial SD card setup, you will need:

• Another computer connected to your network. We’ll refer to this as your usual computer to distinguish it from the Raspberry Pi computer you are setting up.

Choose a Raspberry Pi

You can use any Raspberry Pi model for this. We recommend Zero 2 W if you can’t decide which model to use.

Configure your Raspberry Pi

To begin, follow the Getting Started documentation to set up your Raspberry Pi. For your operating system, choose Raspberry Pi OS Lite (32-bit) to run headless (without a mouse and keyboard).

During the OS customisation stage, edit settings as follows:

• Enter a hostname of your choice (we suggest pi-hole for this tutorial)
• Enter a username and password; you’ll need these later to authenticate
• Check the box next to Configure wireless LAN so your Pi can automatically connect to Wi-Fi
• Enter your network SSID (name) and password; you can find these in your Wi-Fi settings or on a sticker on your router
• Check the box next to Enable SSH so we can connect to the Pi without a mouse and keyboard

Connect via SSH

Open a terminal on your computer. If you use a Windows computer, you may need to install a terminal; we suggest PuTTY. Enter the following command to connect to your Raspberry Pi, replacing the <username> placeholder with your own username that you chose in Imager:

$ ssh <username>@pi-hole.local

If ssh asks you if you’re sure you want to continue connecting, reply yes. Enter the password you chose during advanced configuration when prompted.

You’ll know you’ve connected successfully when you see the following prompt with your configured username and hostname:

<username>@<hostname>:~ $

Now that you’ve connected to your Raspberry Pi, run two commands to make sure that all of your packages are up to date:

$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt full-upgrade

Once the package update commands finish running, reboot your Raspberry Pi to allow all changes to take effect:

$ sudo reboot

Running this command will disconnect you from the Raspberry Pi SSH session. Wait a few seconds for your Raspberry Pi to reboot, and enter the ssh connection command again to reconnect to your device.

tip

On most terminals, press the Up arrow key, then the Enter key to re-run the most recent command.

Install Pi-hole

Run the following single-line command to run the Pi-hole setup script:

$ curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash

The setup script is relatively self-explanatory, but follow these tips if you aren’t sure how to proceed:

• When warned about needing a static IP address, click Continue to proceed; we’ll deal with this later
• When prompted to select an interface, select wlan0 to use your Raspberry Pi’s Wi-Fi connection
• When prompted to choose an upstream DNS provider, choose OpenDNS
• Include StevenBlack’s Unified Hosts List
• Install the Admin Web Interface
• Install lighttpd and the required PHP modules to run the Admin Web Interface
• Enable query logging
• When prompted to choose a privacy level, choose Anonymous mode

When you see “Installation complete!”, the setup is complete. This screen shows the IP address of your Pi-hole, a link to the admin interface, and your administrator password.

• Save this password somewhere safe, like a password manager — you’ll need it to work with your Pi-hole in the future
• Save the IP address — you’ll need it to configure a static IP address shortly

Pi-hole only provides a single administrator account, so there’s no username. Press the Control key (Command on macOS) and click the link to the admin interface that uses an IP address. It’ll look something like http://192.168.1.24/admin. Don’t use the pi.hole domain link yet; until we configure the Pi-hole as our DNS provider, it won’t work. The link should open in your browser. You can also copy and paste the link into a browser if control + click doesn’t work in your terminal. Use the admin password from the setup script output to authenticate. You can now see your Pi-hole admin console! We recommend bookmarking this console for future maintenance.

Configure your network to use your Pi-hole

warning

The tasks below require you to change global settings in your wireless network. You might break your internet connection (for a little while). Proceed with caution!

To complete these tasks, visit the admin interface for your router. You can usually access the admin interface through your router’s IP address. Here are a couple of common ways to find that interface:

• Run the following command on your Raspberry Pi to output your router’s IP address:

  $ nmcli -f IP4.GATEWAY device show wlan0

• Check for a sticker on your router — look for a value called “admin URL” or similar

Once you’ve found the IP address, log in to your router’s admin interface by typing the address (sometimes with the suffix /admin) into your browser. Enter your username and password (if you don’t know these, you may be able to find them on a sticker on your router). Now that you’ve got your Pi-hole configured, you have three choices to use it to block ads. All of them involve getting Pi-hole between your network and the internet:

• configure Pi-hole as the DNS server for your network
• configure Pi-hole as the DHCP provider for your network
• manually point devices at Pi-hole for DNS

It’s easiest to use your Pi-hole as a DNS server. However, some routers don’t provide a setting to control the default DNS server. If you can’t set a DNS server, try configuring Pi-hole as your DHCP provider. And if you can’t do that either, you can always manually point devices at the Pi-hole for DNS — it’s not as good as full-network ad blocking, but it’s a lot better than nothing.

Configure Pi-hole as your network’s DNS server

This is the most common way of configuring a Pi-hole. For this method, you’ll first assign your Raspberry Pi a static IP address from your router’s interface, then point your router’s DNS server settings to the Pi-hole’s static IP address. With this setup, your router controls IP reservations across your network, but devices on the network send DNS queries to your Pi-hole instead of to a DNS server on the internet.

Assign your Raspberry Pi a static IP address

IP addresses are unique numeric codes that allow you to directly interact with devices on your network. For instance, many routers automatically assign themselves the first address in the IP block they are using, such as 192.168.1.1. Most networks use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to assign IP addresses to devices automatically. These IP addresses are known as dynamic IP addresses, because they can change at any time.

To run a Pi-hole on your network, we recommend assigning your Pi-hole a static IP address. A static IP address never changes. This allows devices on your network always to find the Pi-hole at the same address.

To start, run the following command on your Raspberry Pi:

$ hostname -I

You should see output similar to the following:

$ 192.168.1.24

This value is the current (dynamic) IP address of your Raspberry Pi on the network.

To assign a static IP address, you also need the MAC address of your Raspberry Pi. A device’s MAC address is a hardware identifier that your router uses to uniquely identify it. Run the following command to find the MAC address of your Raspberry Pi:

$ nmcli -f GENERAL.HWADDR device show wlan0

You should see output similar to the following:

GENERAL.HWADDR:                         A8:42:EA:58:E0:1C

The value on the right is the MAC address of your Raspberry Pi. Now that we know your Raspberry Pi’s MAC address and IP address, we can configure your router so it always associates the Raspberry Pi’s MAC address with its current IP address. Effectively, we’re turning the current dynamic address into a static one using the MAC address. In your router’s admin interface, configure a static IP address for your Raspberry Pi. There are several ways to accomplish this, depending on your router:

• You might be able to find this setting in the “Advanced” section of the router admin interface. Look for a list called “DHCP Reservations”, and enter your Raspberry Pi’s IP address and MAC address.
• Look for a list of connected devices and find your Raspberry Pi’s IP address or MAC address. Select the option to “Always use this IP address” to make the IP address reservation static.
• Check the documentation for your router model for specific instructions.

Set Pi-hole as your network’s default DNS server

Once you’ve assigned your Raspberry Pi a static IP address, you can configure individual devices to use Pi-hole as a DNS server in their network settings. But this process is tedious, and some devices don’t provide an easily accessible DNS server setting. However, there is an easier way: most routers automatically suggest a DNS server for devices connected to your network. All you have to do is change the suggested server in your router’s settings, and your entire network should start using your Pi-hole for DNS.

Look for a setting called DNS in your router’s admin interface. You may be able to find the setting in a section called “Internet”, “DHCP”, “Internet Connection”, or “DDNS”.

Enter your Pi-hole’s IP address in the DNS (or similarly named) field.

If your router provides multiple custom DNS fields, add your Pi-hole address in each field.

important

Whatever you do, don’t add any separate DNS entries after the Pi-hole entries — this can break Pi-hole’s ad blocking functionality. When your Pi-hole blocks a domain, it returns a non-routable address such as 0.0.0.0, and some devices will query the secondary DNS server when the first server returns such a non-routable address. If your secondary DNS server isn’t a Pi-hole, every single request blocked by Pi-hole will succeed on the secondary server, and ads will load as if you weren’t running an ad blocker at all.

Configure Pi-hole as your network’s DHCP provider

If your router doesn’t support configuration for static IP addresses or DNS servers, you may still be able to use your Pi-hole automatically across your network. First, check whether you can change the network DHCP server in your router settings. If you can, you can use your Pi-hole both as a DNS server and as the DHCP server that handles IP address reservations across your network.

First, navigate to the Pi-hole admin console. If you type your Raspberry Pi’s IP address into your browser, it should redirect you there.

In the left side menu, select the “Settings” page.

In the DHCP tab, in the “DHCP Settings” block, check the “DHCP server enabled” box.

Pi-hole should pre-populate the IP address range with the IP block that your router currently uses, and the router IP address with the router’s current IP address. You can leave these values as they are. Click the Save button in the bottom left to start hosting a DHCP server from Pi-hole.

Finally, visit your router’s admin interface, and set your Pi-hole’s IP address as the DHCP provider for your network. When your Pi-hole is functioning as the DHCP provider, your router delegates all IP-related tasks to it. This includes DNS server configuration, so your Pi-hole can suggest itself as the default DNS server for all devices on your network. Check the documentation for your router model for specific instructions.

Manually point devices at Pi-hole for DNS

On many devices, you can configure DNS settings in Wi-Fi preferences. Look in the “Advanced” section of your Wi-Fi or wired connection preferences for a DNS server setting. Put your Raspberry Pi’s IP address in this field. Your device should immediately start issuing DNS queries to the Pi-hole.

Unless you’ve configured a static IP address for your Raspberry Pi, this IP address can change at any time without warning. Follow the instructions under “Assign your Raspberry Pi a static IP address” in the DNS section above to configure a static IP address — this will prevent your device from losing its connection to the Pi-hole (and most of the internet!) when your Pi-hole’s dynamic IP address changes.

Is my Pi-hole working?

With a Pi-hole acting as the DNS server for your network, many pages will load without ads at all. Most privacy-invading trackers won’t work either. You’ll still see cookie and app install banners, because those can’t be blocked at the DNS level. To check to see if your Pi-hole is working correctly:

• Check out Adblock Tester. Without Pi-hole, many browsers score near 0; with Pi-hole, you should see a score at or near 100.
• Try visiting http://pi.hole/admin/login.php. Pi-hole always routes the pi.hole domain to your Raspberry Pi when you use Pi-hole as your DNS server.
• Visit any site where you normally see ads and visually confirm that ads are no longer there.
• Check the proportion of “queries blocked” on the Pi-hole dashboard. Many networks see between 10% and 50% of queries blocked!
• Check the DNS server used by other computers in your network. You should be able to find this information in “Details” or “Advanced” Wi-Fi settings. If you see your Raspberry Pi’s IP address, your configuration worked!

If you’ve completed all of the setup steps but you’re still seeing ads (or, worse, DNS queries don’t resolve), try the trusty solution of turning your router off and on again. This should disconnect all devices from your network and renew all DHCP leases, putting your new settings into effect for every device. Congratulations! Your home network is now protected from ads. Put a slice of bread in your smart toaster, watch a movie on your smart TV, and flush your smart toilet in the comfort of privacy and security. source

 

1. Install a supported operating system

You can run Pi-hole in a container, or deploy it directly to a supported operating system via our automated installer.

Docker install

Supported operating systems

2. Install Pi-hole

Our intelligent, automated installer asks you a few questions and then sets everything up for you.  Once complete, move onto step 3.

Install Pi-hole

3. Use Pi-hole as your DNS server

Configure your router’s DHCP options to force clients to use Pi-hole as their DNS server, or manually configure each device​ to use the Pi-hole as their DNS server.

Use Pi-hole as your DNS server

4. Block ads everywhere, even on the go

By pairing your Pi-hole with a VPN, you can have ad blocking on your cellular devices, helping with limited bandwidth data plans.

Pi-hole + VPN

Network-wide protection

Instead of browser plugins or other software on each computer, install Pi-hole in one place and your entire network is protected.

Block in-app advertisements

Network-level blocking allows you to block ads in non-traditional places such as mobile apps and smart TVs, regardless of hardware or OS.

Improve network performance

Since advertisements are blocked before they are downloaded, network performance is improved and will feel faster.

Monitor statistics

Our Web interface offers control of your Pi-hole and a central place to view statistics.  We also include an API for extending these stats.

Web Interface

In addition to blocking advertisements, Pi-hole has an informative Web interface that shows stats on all the domains being queried on your network.

Built-in DHCP Server

Pi-hole works fine with an existing DHCP server, but you can use Pi-hole’s to keep your network management in one place.

Manage White And Black Lists

Fine-tune your experience by blacklisting or whitelisting domains.  Extend this capability with powerful regex statements.

Query Log

See all the domains being queried on your network, where they originated, and more.

Long Term Statistics

Queries are stored in a database and can be queried at any time.  Learn about what’s happening on your network over time.

Audit Log

Keep track of the most queried domains and add them to a white or blacklist from a central page.

Privacy Modes

Choose from four different privacy modes that works for your environment.

Other Settings

Control and configure other settings from the Web interface.

source

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The AI WiFi DeAuther Tool That Lives of a WiFi

Pwnagotchi was created by , a hacker, maker, security researcher, AI and physics nerd that we all love and appreciate.

It’s a super cute lil’ buddy which eats wifi connections and lives on a small computer which can fit in your pocket.

Pwnagotchi is an “AI” that learns from the WiFi environment and instruments bettercap in order to maximize the WPA key material (any form of handshake that is crackable, including PMKIDs, full and half WPA handshakes) captured.

Get started building one by checking out the official project on GitHub: https://github.com/evilsocket/pwnagotchi

Unofficial list of Pwnagotchi builds and parts with notes:
https://www.reddit.com/r/pwnagotchi/comments/11bxv0n/i_created_pwnnotes_a_simple_collaborative/

Pwnagotchi is an A2C-based “AI” powered by bettercap and running on a Raspberry Pi Zero W that learns from its surrounding WiFi environment in order to maximize the crackable WPA key material it captures (either through passive sniffing or by performing deauthentication and association attacks). This material is collected on disk as PCAP files containing any form of handshake supported by hashcat, including full and half WPA handshakes as well as PMKIDs.

Learn more about the project and how it started on the author’s blog.

pwnagotchi org

Pwnagotchi is an A2C-based “AI” powered by bettercap and running on a Raspberry Pi Zero W that learns from its surrounding WiFi environment in order to maximize the crackable WPA key material it captures (either through passive sniffing or by performing deauthentication and association attacks). This material is collected on disk as PCAP files containing any form of handshake supported by hashcat, including full and half WPA handshakes as well as PMKIDs.

Instead of merely playing Super Mario or Atari games like most reinforcement learning based “AI” (yawn), Pwnagotchi tunes its own parameters over time to get better at pwning WiFi things in the real world environments you expose it to.

But…why?

To give hackers an excuse to learn about reinforcement learning and WiFi networking—and have a reason to get out for more walks.

Also? It’s cute as f—.

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Fake Cell Towers Allow the NSA and Police to Keep Track of You

The Internet is abuzz with reports of mysterious devices sprinkled across America—many of them on military bases—that connect to your phone by mimicking cell phone towers and sucking up your data. There is little public information about these devices, but they are the new favorite toy of government agencies of all stripes; everyone from the National Security Agency to local police forces are using them.

These fake towers, known as “interceptors,” were discovered in July by users of the CryptoPhone500, one of the ultra-secure cell phones released after Edward Snowden’s leaks about NSA snooping. The phone is essentially a Samsung Galaxy S3 customized with high-level encryption that costs around $3,500. While driving around the country, CryptoPhone users plotted on a map every time they connected to a nameless tower (standard towers run by wireless service providers like Verizon usually have names) and received an alert that the device had turned off their phone’s encryption (allowing their messages to be read).

Map showing the location of rogue cell towers identified by the firewall on CryptoPhones in August via ESD America, a defense and law enforcement technology provider based in Las Vegas.

While the abilities of these interceptors vary, the full-featured versions available to government agencies are capable of a panoply of interceptions. For example, the VME Dominator can capture calls and texts, and can even control the intercepted phone. (In an interview with NBC, Snowden revealed that with this kind of technology the NSA is capable of turning on a powered-down phone and essentially using it as a bug.)

This NSA-style surveillance is spreading to local cops. A growing number of police departments are using tower-mimicking devices, “stingrays,” to track a cell phone’s location and extract call logs. Though little is known about the use of these devices, watchdog groups have scored small victories in their attempts to punch through this veil of secrecy. The map below, courtesy of the ACLU, shows how the use of stingrays is spreading. The map also shows that despite the ALCU’s greatest efforts, it is unable to uncover information about stingray use in most of the country.

A recent case provided a glimpse into what stingrays can do and how they are being used.

Awesome Resources explains how anyone with a mobile interception device can intercept cellular data

Mobile networks are dominant in the age of communication and are used to relay mobile communication signals to Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN). There is a lot of information that is exchanged on a daily basis. But is your mobile network confidential?

Even though it started out as an ethical technology for security, there are reports about the misuse of the technology doing the rounds.

However, for those concerned about their privacy during calls, using tools like Call Recorder iCall can provide an added layer of security by recording and securely storing conversations.

How does mobile interception work?

There are three types of mobile networks – NGN (Next Generation Networks like 3G, 4G, and 5G), GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). All three of them are targets of multiple surveillance technologies.

When the mobile phone data travels over these networks, they are passively intercepted between the mobile phone and the base station it is communicating to. Both uplink signal (outgoing voice or data) and downlink (incoming voice or data) signals can be intercepted.

Who can intercept your mobile signal?

Mobile Interception technology is extensively used by law enforcement agencies, military & defense, or authorities like government and federal & local law enforcement agencies (LEAs). These are also termed as Lawful Interceptions. But there are unauthorized intercepts too!

Our expert Sam Tilston from AwesomeResources.co.uk, a professional in cyber security for more than 20 years believes that anyone with a mobile interception device can intercept cellular information like- voice, data transmission, and metadata.

Lawful Interception (LI) – The modern legal interception protocol

Lawful Interception or LI refers to a specific facility in telecommunications where LEA or government with court orders or legal authorization can intercept mobile signals. In common parlance it’s also called selective wiretapping or authorized wiretapping.

Lawful interception is different from the dragnet-type mass surveillance and is usually carried out by intelligence agencies. The data is merely passed through a fiber-optic splice where its extracted and filtered.

Many countries follow local, national, and global standards for lawful interception laid down by ESTI. Governments and authorities require PSPs (Public Service Providers) to install a (LIG) legal interception gateway and LIN (legal interception nodes) for real-time interception.

Lawful Interception architecture

Currently the global standard for Lawful Interception and its architecture is provided by ESTI. The standard architecture in recent use is 3GPP Evolved Packet System (EPS) that provides IP based services.

The ESP architecture attempts to define an extensible and systematic means by which LEAs and network operators can interact. There are three stages in the architecture:

1. Collection: target-related call content and data are extracted from these PSP networks.
2. Mediation: data is formatted to match the specific standard.
3. Delivery: The content and data are delivered to the law enforcement agencies.

Delivery function in the architecture is what is used to hide your sensitive interceptions from Intercepting Control Element (ICE). Even when there are multiple targets on the same number, the authorities have no idea about it.

What is the need for mobile interception?

Apart from the malicious effects like snooping and eavesdropping, mobile interception can be used for security. Want to know the uses?

1. Administration Security

The Administrative function (ADMF) keeps all the intercept activities of individual LEAs separate and interfaces to the intercepting network.

After configuring authorized user access within the network, password protection can be enabled using one of the following security mechanisms:

• CUG/VPN
• COLP
• CLIP
• Authentication & Encryption

2. IRI (Intercept Related Information) security

In case of communication failures, IRI can be buffered in the 3G network. After successfully transmitting IRI, the content buffer and total buffer can be deleted via a command or a timer. This prevents the IRI data from being exposed to illegal use.

3. CC (Call Content) security

Data inconsistency, log files, and critically important data like billing information can be suppressed to be viewed by only a fraction of the users over the network. This data can also be deleted after successful transmission to the required personnel.

Can your mobile be intercepted?

If you’re in the crosshairs of the authorities, then chances are that you may be under surveillance right now. Don’t worry, if you’re under one, then you’re not alone!

Lawful interceptions are very common, in fact there are 2000-3000 mobile signals being intercepted and analyzed every day. In fact, if you have a few selected smartphone models from Samsung, chances are that your calls are being intercepted.

The presence of Shannon-branded baseband chips, a tracing IC (integrated circuit) and RF (radio frequency) transceiver make it a device that can be easily intercepted. Calls and messages can be intercepted by creating a proxy base station by frankly anyone with a device.

What is the future of mobile interception market?

The market of mobile interception is estimated at $1.8 billion globally, and $ 226.1 million in the U.S. alone. The market is estimated to grow at a tremendous rate of 5.8% annually for the next decade.

With new developments of communication frequencies, networks and channels, integration with newer interception systems will create a little hurdle. New and portable devices are being deployed every day across the world to hamper the mobile interception market.

In summary

Mobile interception is a debatable topic. On one hand, you are always on someone’s radar and that’s something that you can’t live with knowing. On the other hand, it’s a crucial and apt technology for intercepting malicious calls and threats.

As hard as it may sound, it’s hard to negate the importance of mobile interception, as long as it’s legal, and meets the global standards of lawful interception.

Hey, as long as it continues to save millions of lives by combating increasing criminal activities and security threats, it’s always a handy technology and probably will be in the future too. source

Understanding MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) – Cellular Speed & Booster Implications

The Wonders of MIMO

For RVers and Cruisers, understanding what MIMO technology is, how it works, and how it can be used to enhance cellular speeds has the potential to make finding great mobile internet on the road an easier experience.

For anyone who knows a thing or two about wireless communications, modern 4G/LTE and 5G cellular radios are borderline miraculous.

Consider the first iPhone – which launched in 2007 with a maximum theoretical cellular speed of around 500 Kbps using AT&T’s 2G EDGE cellular network.

A decade and a half later – the latest flagship cellular devices were able to support maximum theoretical speeds of over 2,000 Mbps.

That’s more than a 4,000x increase!

And as the 5G era has matured and become more mainstream, we see peak theoretical speeds are approaching 10 Gbps, another 10x increase!

Of course, theory rarely equals reality – and the cellular networks need to be substantially upgraded and built out to even come close to being able to deliver speeds like this to real people outside of a lab.

And in the real world – you will be sharing this speed with perhaps hundreds or thousands of others connected to the same cell tower.

But real-world 4G/LTE speeds over 50Mbps are actually not at all uncommon, and speeds over 100Mbps are now widely reported, and things just keep getting faster. Mid band 5G is has become lot more common on most of the carriers and we are now seeing the gap between really good LTE and good mid band 5G become way more prevalent in everyday connectivity. If you are in a mmWave 5G area, the speeds can be blazing fast.

One of the key technologies making these sorts of speeds possible is known as MIMO (Multiple Input, Multiple Output) – an incredibly clever technique for putting multiple antennas to work to increase both data transmission speed and reliability.

MIMO technology is fundamental to both 4G/LTE, 5G, and WI-Fi radios – but cellular boosters and MIMO have some… challenges… working together.

Read on to get a grasp of what MIMO is, how it works, and how you can use a little bit of MIMO awareness to potentially increase your cellular speeds.

MIMO In A Nutshell

MIMO is one of the core technologies enabling 4G/LTE and 5G cellular, and almost every modern mobile device (whether a phone or a hotspot) has two or more cellular antennas on board to enable the magic of MIMO.

On the other end of the line – cell towers typically have multiple antennas working together in tight synchronization to communicate with you.

With more antennas transmitting a signal, there are more possible echoes and reflections (read the “how it works” section below to understand the magic here) for the receiving device to catch a signal.

The ability to make multiple connections on the cell tower the better the transmit speeds, even with weak signals.

The cell tower will have a number of transmit/receive antennas and many LTE devices had two antennas.  This allows those devices to utilize 2×2 MIMO.

Devices with four antennas for 4×4 MIMO is now common, with consumer devices such as flagship hotspots such as the AT&T Netgear Nighthawk M6 Pro Hotspot Pro, the Verizon & T-Mobile MiFi X Pro 5G hotspots, plus all the the latest flagship smartphones from Apple, Samsung, and Google.

Although the latest cellular standards (Category 18 & higher) support 8×8 MIMO, consumer devices with 8 antennas are not common.

These antennas connect to a cell tower that will usually have at least four antennas – and as many as 128!  The number of antennas on the tower gives devices more options to get a good, high-performing connection.

This figure illustrates a relatively simple 4×2 MIMO deployment.  In this case, 4×2 means four transmit/receive antennas on the tower, and two on the user device:

This 4×2 configuration isn’t the only one possible, however, upgraded cell towers can have many more transmit/receive antenna elements. The latest devices typically have four antennas to better take advantage of the cell towers antenna array.

MIMO is one of the key technologies that allow these devices to have such great performance – it really is pretty darn amazing stuff! source

MIMO vs Boosters Video

Here Introducing an all-new WiPhone, A Phone for Hackers and Makers. Moreover, WiPhone is a VoIP mobile phone designed to be easily modified, repurposed, and adapted.

Basically, It’s designed to enable hackers by making it easy to extend and modify the electronics and software. Something typical phones are not good for. However, WiPhone is also a VoIP mobile phone. It uses WIFI to make HD voice calls, for free. Though, This means that there is no required service contract.

Additionally, WiPhone solves these problems and gives hackers, makers, and engineers the tool we all wish our phones could be. However, It is direct access to I/O, an easy to program ESP32 processor. However,  All the basics are already set up the user interface, power management, and on/off the circuit, working code.

Furthermore, you also can get straight to work building projects, not setting up the boring parts like power management again and again. Though, No rats nest of wires or ugly stack of dev boards just to get the basic functionality.

WiPhone Tech Specs:

What is the WiPhone?

WiPhone is a unique, minimal phone.

It’s designed to enable hackers by making it easy to extend and modify the electronics and software. Something typical phones are not good for.

WiPhone is also a VoIP mobile phone. It uses WIFI to make HD voice calls, for free. This means that there is no required service contract – and it’s yours for life.

For Hackers:

 Yet So Stylish And Sophisticated!

 WiPhone Pro with Clear Front Face:

source

Smartphones Are A Little Too Smart

What’s the best platform you can imagine for electronics hacking?

It should probably be adaptable, powerful, and programmable. Small and portable would be nice. Maybe with a durable case? What about a built in user interface with things like an LCD screen and button panel? A battery and built-in charging system? Wireless connectivity?

Hey… we just described a mobile phone!

But why aren’t people building more projects based on their smartphones? Well, there are a few issues:

• no electrical connectors to directly connect to the outside world
• no way to easily control the low level hardware, like processor output pins
• opaque development environment and huge IDE
• not designed for easy disassembly, repair, or modification

Enter WiPhone:

WiPhone solves these problems and gives hackers, makers, and engineers the tool we all wish our phones could be. Nice package, direct access to I/O, an easy to program ESP32 processor. All the basics are already set up: user interface, power management and on/off circuit, working code.

You can get straight to work building your project, not setting up the boring parts like power management again and again. And once you’re done it’s durable and looks great. No ratsnest of wires or ugly stack of dev boards just to get the basic functionality.

Modern smartphones are more and more a tool we don’t own, but instead one we’re only allowed to carry around. One that serves the interests of various tracking networks, corporate boards, and government organizations. You don’t own it, it owns you. It tracks you, serves you ads, and sucks away your time with mindless dopamine hits. We want a phone that’s back in our control, optimized for our convenience.

Free Calling! No Hacking Required!

WiPhone is different beast from most smartphones these days. WiPhone uses the existing WiFi around you to make HD Voice calls. For free. Buy it once and it’s yours.

Works on most broadband WiFi networks (including most home WiFi connections). No service contract required, and you can even upgrade the firmware or expand the hardware to do things it wasn’t originally intended for.

What Is This Magical Free Calling You Speak of? Tell me more…

Free calling starts with a SIP account. SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol, and it’s a standard way to make call over the internet. VoIP is a related term that you may have heard of. There are commercial services that provide SIP/VoIP accounts, and some of them have free accounts. Most consumers use VoIP apps like Skype and Whatsapp, but we can still use the underlying technology directly. After the campaign we’ll spend more time testing services to make our software and instructions work as seamlessly as possible.

Step 1: Get a SIP account (many different ways to do this, but we wrote up a simple how-to that might get you started).

Step 2: Log in on your WiPhone using the credentials from your SIP account (user name, password, and server):

Step 3: Make a Call:

That’s it!

Note: we’re still working through compatibility with various SIP providers since many of them implement the standard in various ways. Once the WiPhones ship we’ll update our getting started instructions to use the servers we find to be most reliable.

What people are saying about WiPhone:

“This is a great cross over between what people know (phones) and what people really want to do (hack).” -Nathan Seidle, Sparkfun Founder

“The WiPhone is a really rather neatly put together project.” -Alasdair Allan, Hackster.io

“If you want a phone that respects your right to repair, this is the project to look at.” -Brian Benchoff, Hackaday.com

“So excited by this project I tried to make one myself” -Random Guy On Our YouTube Channel

First Class Expansion Capabilities

WiPhone is expandable through daughter boards. The whole back of the phone is a replaceable panel that accepts a standard 1.6mm thickness PCB, which you can use to add whatever functionality you like.

Some Examples

We made a WiPhone into an RC car:

And we also made the coolest way to ever to answer a phone:

The daughterboard headers have power, digital I/O, and all the common embedded busses like SPI, I2C, and UART.

 Easy Development

Develop in Arduino/C++ or Python. We’ll also provide basic tutorials covering how to write to the screen, connect to the hardware, save data to memory, etc.  We’ll let you give us feedback on what’s most important to you.

No-Mess Prototyping

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Note: Based on the backer survey, we’ll prioritize adding a cellular radio (LTE), and secure communications after the campaign. Back now to get first access to the new hardware as it becomes available.

See the relevant Project Update for details.

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We have big plans for the WiPhone, but we also need to start off on solid footing. We’ve set a relatively low funding goal of $40k that will let us cover the costs to finish production of the phones themselves and not much more. That way we can get phones in the hands of people that want them.

But there’s a lot of potential waiting to be unlocked. If we reach $100k of phones, we’ll have enough of a cushion to thoroughly test the design and ultimately deliver a better product. It will also allow us to start taking on extra work. If we reach $100k we’ll start letting backers choose stretch goals.

Some stretch goals would add software features to the WiPhone itself. Others will be to take on design and production of daughterboards and other accessories.

•  Wireless Firmware Updates:Wireless firmware updates will allow you to easily upgrade your firmware.
•  Integrated Python Interpreter: Currently we’ll ship the WiPhone with a separate firmware that allows running MicroPython apps. This stretch goal would allow us to merge the Python interpreter into the main phone firmware to run user apps directly within the phone firmware.
•  Remote Desktop: View and control your WiPhone through a webpage.
•  Encrypted Communications: Add secure communication to calls and messages
•  Threaded Messaging: Add an advanced view to text messages for a more modern chat experience
•  Additional Colors: Add some variety to the clear/gray options we have now for face colors.
•  Advanced Tutorials: Deeper tutorials than the basic ones we’ll ship for the basic campaign. We could go step-by-step through writing a complete app, using the phone to build an entire project, or designing a daughterboard from scratch. We’ll let you give us feedback on what’s most important to you.

First Class Expansion Capabilities – People Like The WiPhone Hack It Like It’s Yours