Maybe you should buy a Flipper Zero before it’s too late

Since its debut several years ago, technology enthusiasts have fallen in love with this app Flipper Zero. This little penetration testing device makes hacking anything fun and easy, and at $170, it’s not exactly what you’d call heavy leverage. However, while amateur hackers may have a fun day using it, the Flipper device also appears to be causing more than a little concern for police and the corporate sphere. You can imagine that, at some point, someone will complain loudly in an attempt to stop everyone’s fun.

How much fun can be had from Flipper is easily evident if you scroll through the deluge of videos related to it online. There, users can be seen enthusiastically hacking everything in their path Their own carsl Smart home appliances For TVs, mobile phones and even Traffic lights. The harmful powers of the device were greatly enhanced in July when Flipper made the decision Launching its own app store; Embedded directly within the tool’s mobile app, the store offers many open source plug-and-play software features that give users the ability to choose from a veritable treasure trove of automated exploits.

As it stands, it seems like a new Flipper attack target is identified every week. Case in point: This week, it became clear that the device Can be used for remote spamming (And in some cases, lock) Android and Microsoft devices using a Bluetooth-assisted attack. This attack is actually a variation of a previously disclosed similar attack, through a modification of the firmware. Can be used to target iPhones crash. Once again, the device seems capable of causing problems even for the most prominent platforms and companies.

Predictably, not everyone is thrilled with Flipper’s ability to wreak digital havoc. Some have argued that he is just pirating also easy– It lowers the barrier to digital hacking to the point that even people with very limited knowledge can now hack every device in sight; Meanwhile, other critics see it as a tool that will undoubtedly be used (mostly) to break the law. Earlier this year, Amazon made the official announcement Prohibiting the sale of the device on its platform, arguing that it can be used as a credit card skimmer.

Law enforcement also appears to have been monitoring the device. In August, the Daily Dot A report has been written The South Dakota Police Fusion Center was distributing a warning to other intelligence and police agencies that domestic extremists could use the Flipper device to hack into power grids. In recent years, police have also seized shipments of the Flipper in multiple countries, including the United States and Brazil. In Brazil, the crackdown on Flipper appears to have been the same Significantly more dangerous– She informs Effective ban. This sparked a shift in policy Online speculation On whether other countries might issue similar bans on the device. While a US crackdown of this kind seems highly unlikely, it is still worth considering whether such a tool might raise regulatory concerns at some point in the future.

In short: I recommend getting the Flipper Zero before it’s too late. Sure, there’s no official ban yet, but, er… you never know. When something is this much fun, it’s only a matter of time until someone tries to take it away.