Flipper Zero

The device was developed by Alex Kulagin and Pavel Zhovner in 2019. They started raising funds on Kickstarter. == Overview ==

Flipper Zero is designed for interaction with various types of access control systems, radio protocols, RFID, near-field communication (NFC), and infrared signals. To operate the device, a computer or a smartphone is not required; it can be controlled via a 5-position D-pad and a separate back button. Flipper Zero has a monochrome orange backlight LCD screen with a resolution of 128× 64 pixels. For connection with external modules, the device has general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pinholes on the top side. User data and firmware updates are stored on a microSD card. Some actions, such as firmware or user data update, require a connection to a computer or a smartphone with the developer's software installed. In July 2023, an app store was opened for the device. == Technical specification ==

The electronic schematics and firmware of the Flipper Zero project are open source under the GNU General Public License. However, the device is not considered fully open-source hardware because complete printed circuit board layout files are not publicly available, making it more difficult for third parties to reproduce the hardware. Hardware Flipper Zero's hardware consists of four PCB modules connected by flexible cables. The battery is positioned in the center of the device between three of the PCBs. • Main PCB (motherboard)contains core components, including the main processor (STM32WB55), GPIO breakout pins, LCD, Sub-GHz chip and its antenna, Bluetooth antenna, microSD card slot, battery controller, USB Type-C port, and membrane switches for the D-pad. All additional PCBs connect to the main PCB via flexible cables. • Infrared and iButton PCBa small board equipped with an infrared receiver (TSOP-75338) and three infrared LEDs for transmitting infrared signals. Includes three pogo pins for iButton (1-Wire) tags and a piezo buzzer (BCE-MX8530A) for audio feedback. • NFC PCBcontains the NFC chip (STM ST25R3916) along with analog circuitry for 125 kHz RFID. • Dual-Band RFID Antenna PCBfeatures two passive coil antennas: one for 13.56 MHz NFC communication and another for 125 kHz RFID systems. Microcontroller (MCU) Flipper Zero is based on a dual-core ARM architecture STM32WB55 microcontroller, which has 256 KB of RAM and 1 MB of Flash storage. The first core is a 64 MHz Cortex-M4 which runs the main firmware. The second core is a 32 MHz Cortex-M0 which runs STMicroelectronics proprietary firmware that implements the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol. Secret keys stored in the Secure Enclave of STM32WB55 are used to decrypt cryptographic keys on the fly, which are then applied to decode Sub-GHz protocols. This mechanism allows the device to handle encrypted communication for Sub-GHz protocols. However, the encryption used is not entirely secure and primarily serves as a form of obfuscation rather than robust protection. Its purpose is to make reverse engineering more challenging, but it does not provide absolute security. Sub-GHz radio For radio transmitting and receiving in the 300–900 MHz radio frequency range, a Texas Instruments CC1101 chip is used, which supports amplitude-shift keying (ASK) and frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulations. Unlike software-defined radio, the CC1101 chip cannot capture raw radio signals. This limitation requires the user to pre-configure the modulation parameters before receiving a radio signal, otherwise the signal will be received incorrectly. Infrared The infrared transceiver in Flipper Zero consists of a digital receiver and an LED circuit. The receiver, based on the TSOP-75338 module, decodes incoming infrared signals. Infrared transmission is managed by three LEDs directly connected to the MCU, which controls the signal output. NFC and 125 kHz RFID The NFC subsystem is based on the STM ST25R3916 chip, which is responsible for reading and emulating high-frequency cards. The 125 kHz low-frequency RFID functionality in Flipper Zero is implemented primarily through software running on the MCU, without a dedicated RFID chip. It also supports reading RFID tags in the 110–140 kHz range, albeit with a reduced reading distance. Hardware expansion In February 2024, a video game module was released for the Flipper Zero by its makers. The device allows the Flipper to be used as a game controller or connected to a TV and is based around the Raspberry Pi Pico. The system uses multitasking in combination with an event-driven architecture to organize the interaction of applications and services executed in a single address space and communicating through a system of queues and events. The system can be executed from both random-access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). Execution from RAM is used to deliver over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates. The firmware consists of the following components: • FuriCore – provides an API for interaction with the scheduler and multithreading. FuriCore abstracts and extends the functionality of the FreeRTOS scheduler and adds additional system primitives. • FuriHal – provides an API for interaction with hardware. • Services and applications – the main functionality of the device. Sub-GHz, Infrared, RFID, NFC, etc are applications for user interaction. Graphical user interface (GUI), command-line interface (CLI), Notification, Storage, etc are additional APIs for applications development. • A set of libraries and drivers – covers various communication protocols, device drivers, file system drivers, and developer tools. User and system data is stored in built-in flash memory, which is based on the LittleFS library. Interaction with the file system on the SD card is implemented using the FatFs library. The build system is based on the SCons tool with additional tooling written in Python. For compilation, the system uses its own open toolchain based on GNU Compiler Collection. == Applications ==

Sub-GHz Flipper Zero has a built-in module that can read, store, and emulate remote controls, allowing it to receive and send radio frequencies between 300 and 928 MHz. These switches, radio locks, wireless doorbells, remote controls, barriers, gates, smart lighting, and other devices can all be operated with these controls. Using Sub-GHz Flipper Zero can also receive and decode the data from many weather stations. 125 kHz RFID Flipper Zero is compatible with low-frequency (LF) radio frequency identification (RFID), which is used in supply chain tracking systems, animal chips, and access control systems. LF RFID cards typically don't offer high levels of security, in contrast to NFC cards. Numerous form factors of this technology are available, including plastic cards, key fobs, tags, wristbands, and animal microchips. A low-frequency RFID module in the Flipper Zero can read, save, simulate, and write LF RFID cards. NFC NFC technology, which is used in smart cards for access control and cards, and digital business cards, is compatible with Flipper Zero. The 13.56 MHz NFC module has the ability to imitate, read, and store these cards. An NFC card is a transponder with a unique identification (UID), and rewritable memory for data storage. When placed close to a reader, NFC cards transmit the needed data. Infrared Flipper Zero can read and transmit signals that use infrared light (IR) such as TVs, air conditioners, or audio devices. It can learn and save infrared remote controls or use its own Universal remotes. GPIO and modules Flipper Zero explores hardware, flash firmware, debugging, and fuzz. It is able to function as a USB converter for UART, SPI, or I2C. The built-in GPIO pins connect to hardware, operate by buttons, send out code, and display messages on the LCD screen. iButton The Flipper Zero has an iButton connector to allow it to read and emulate iButton contact keys. BadUSB BadUSB devices have the ability to alter system settings, unlock backdoors, recover data, launch reverse shells, and do any other physical access-based actions. Flipper Zero can function as a BadUSB and, when connected to an insecure computing device, acts as a keyboard-like Human interface device (HID). Commands (the payload) are injected and executed using DuckyScript (the macro scripting language developed as part of the 'USB Rubber Ducky' BadUSB project). U2F (Universal 2nd Factor) • Use the flipper as a second authentication factor for your Google account and others HID controllers Flipper Zero can replace certain HID (human interface device) controllers. This allows it to interact with your phone or computer. It can remotely control media players, computer keyboards or mouse, presentations, and more. • Keynote: Presentations remote • Keyboard: Double as a keyboard for a computer • Media: Controls media on a computer, camera remote control for a phone • Mouse: Double as a mouse for a computer • TikTok Controller: Control TikTok app on a phone • Mouse Jiggler: Duplicate mouse movements on a computer to keep computer showing as active at all times • PTT : use the flipper as a PTT (push to talk) controller / wireless PTT remote ==Bans, seizure, police bulletin and other incidents==

U.S. Customs seizure and release In late 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized a shipment of 15,000 devices, but they were eventually released. Amazon ban On 7 April 2023, Amazon banned sales of the Flipper Zero via their site for being a "card skimming device". Brazil seizures In 2023 people in Brazil who ordered Flipper Zeros reported that their orders had been seized by Anatel. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Anatel has flagged the devices as being a tool for criminal purposes, making the certification process complicated. The device was then handed over to Sussex Police. A custom Flipper Zero firmware was developed shortly afterward that could launch spam attacks against Android devices and Microsoft Windows computers. Proposed Canadian ban In February 2024, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada announced that they had the intention of banning the Flipper Zero and other devices that could be used to clone wireless signals for remote entry in response to a significant increase in auto thefts. On 20 March 2024, ISED announced that it would seek to restrict use of the device by illegitimate actors, but not ban it outright. == References ==