Safety researcher András Tevesz has given the Flipper Zero multitool help for Matter by way of Thread — by constructing an enlargement board primarily based across the Nordic Semiconductor nRF52840.
“For my integration mission, the Thread protocol requires the introduction of a brand new SoC [System-on-Chip] with a radio chip,” Tevesz explains of the choice to design a {hardware} add-on for the Flipper Zero. ” Sadly, the code that manages the second core of the [Flipper Zero’s internal] MCU — which is chargeable for varied radio protocols, together with BLE [Bluetooth Low Energy], Zigbee, OpenThread, and others – is offered by ST[Microelectronics], the chip producer, within the type of signed and encrypted binaries. This code is closed-source, and companions don’t have entry to its supply code. I wished to scale back the event time, so I selected a well known platform for growth and built-in Flipper with the [Nordic Semi] nRF52840 SoC.”
The Flipper Zero could also be about to get a brand new entry in its field of tips: Matter compatibility. (📷: András Tevesz)
The purpose of Tevesz’ mission: including help for the vendor-neutral Matter protocol over Thread radio networks to the Flipper Zero, Flipper Gadgets’ widespread but controversial digital pet and “hacker’s” digital toolbox. As normal, the Flipper Zero can deal with sub-gigahertz networks carrying a spread of protocols, however it will possibly’t deal with Matter — and with out sufficient storage out there in its built-in microcontroller so as to add Matter help with out eradicating another performance, the answer was to comply with within the footsteps of these including Wi-Fi connectivity to the gadget and construct an add-in board connecting to the general-purpose enter/output (GPIO) header on the high.
“My work focuses on detecting and defending towards rising threats related to Thread networks,” Tevesz explains of the considering behind the mission, which is constructed atop the OpenThread firmware. “I aimed to provoke TCP and UDP connections from the Thread community and monitor their routing. Nevertheless, I found that no at present out there gadgets can obtain this with out constructing and coding a brand new firmware picture for particular radios.”
Tevesz has prompt a spread of potential methods the Matter-capable Flipper Zero might be utilized in safety audits. (📷: András Tevesz)
With the {hardware} add-on wired into the Flipper Zero’s GPIO pins, Tevesz has achieved his purpose — after a trend. On the time of writing the radio may solely be used when the Flipper Zero was related to a extra highly effective PC and appearing as a USB-UART bridge, making it successfully no completely different to simply utilizing the USB dongle at its coronary heart straight. Tevesz goals to vary that, although, with plans for a local Flipper Zero utility that may present help for capturing data from a Thread community as a standalone gadget.
The primary three components of the mission write-up can be found on the CUJO AI web site, with the fourth half detailing the native Flipper Zero app to comply with.
