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Dutch Hackers Create Wi-Fi Sniffing Drone

Posted by timothy on from the junior-birdman dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The WASP, or Wireless Aerial Surveillance Platform, has been built out of a hobby-grade airframe and open source Ardupilot autopilot, reports sUASnews. In the words of the Rabbit-Hole website, it's a 'Small Scale, Open Source UAV using off the shelf components. Designed to provide a vehicle to project cyber-offensive and defensive capabilities, and visual / electronic surveillance over distance cheaply and with little risk.'" Want a drone of your own? The makers have some pointers to helpful resources.

56 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Did it actually fly? Broken wing. by Barryke · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The photoslides end with a mere broken wing on the takeoff strip. Did it actually fly?

    --
    Hivemind harvest in progress..
    1. Re:Did it actually fly? Broken wing. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      The makers of the WASP give an interview in the s7e25 episode of Hak5, where they explain that the platform currently has a very tight flight envelope. It's almost always on the brink of crashing. Quote: "It flies much like a wounded harbor seal would. [...] It's a real juggling act to keep it in the air."

    2. Re:Did it actually fly? Broken wing. by Sulphur · · Score: 1

      You can juggle wounded harbor seals?

    3. Re:Did it actually fly? Broken wing. by shadowrat · · Score: 2, Funny

      They usually start out fine, but my act incorporates torches and chainsaws.

  2. Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    If you can't work out how to do this yourself without this article, it's going to be of no use to you anyway.

  3. Yes but... by Kildjean · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Aren't all remote control aircraft (hobbyist planes in particular) UAV's?

    --
    Nom de dieu de putain de bordel de merde de saloperie de connard d encule de ta mere.
    1. Re:Yes but... by Buggz · · Score: 1

      Indeed it is an unmanned aerial vehicle, but something tells me Infinity Ward has skewed the meaning of the acronym for quite a number of people.

    2. Re:Yes but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      The meaning of "unmanned" extends to the pilot on the ground. UAVs don't have people on board and can fly more than a straight line in a controlled manner without immediate control input from a pilot on the ground. It's technically illegal to fly UAVs without visual contact in visual flight rules air space.

    3. Re:Yes but... by asynchronous13 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's technically illegal to fly UAVs without visual contact in visual flight rules air space.

      Not quite.

      The FAA controls the national airspace with a white-list approach. Everything is illegal unless a specific category of safe flight has been defined. AC 91-57 defines the Model Aircraft Operating Standards and creates a specific legal exemption for vehicles flown for recreational purposes. This exemption also applies to UAVs, provided they are flown for recreational purposes. However, there is no exemption for operating a UAV for commercial purposes. Even flying an R/C aircraft is illegal if the operator attaches a camera and attempts to sell the resulting aerial imagery!

      The FAA recognizes that people and companies other than modelers might be flying UAS with the mistaken understanding that they are legally operating under the authority of AC 91–57. AC 91–57 only applies to modelers, and thus specifically excludes its use by persons or companies for business purposes.
      -- from FAA–2006–25714, Unmanned Aircraft Operations in the National Airspace System; Notice of Policy; Opportunity for Feedback (FAA link to pdf is down right now)

      Technically, you or I could fly a 1:1 scale F-22 Raptor, but only if it were for recreational purposes.

  4. I want one by OeLeWaPpErKe · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    With lasers attached to it's head.

    1. Re:I want one by OeLeWaPpErKe · · Score: 1, Offtopic

      The parent post can serve as a good example of WHY you'd need a laser attached to it's head.

      Making sure grammar nazi's are so thoroughly removed from the gene pool that DNA itself starts to contain misspellings.

    2. Re:I want one by Alphathon · · Score: 2, Informative

      I don't know if you were simply using it's to spite the troll or not but I'm fairly sure its is correct. Unlike most words the apostrophe is only added when it's a contraction of "it is", "it has" etc, not to indicate "belonging to it" (possessive). The GP was a troll to be sure, but an accurate troll nonetheless.

  5. Awesome, Google Window View in 5,4,3....... by qwerty8ytrewq · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is cool, I love that the science fiction future is so present in our world right now, and the power of 'it is possible, so we did it this way' I am quite amused by the quote" You don’t have to join too many dots for potential misuse." and I look forward to outrageous innovative uses by paparazzi, peeping toms, pervs, police, pyromaniacs, pilferers, pidgeon racers......

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    Waiting for the other shoe to...
    1. Re:Awesome, Google Window View in 5,4,3....... by Fumus · · Score: 4, Interesting

      I think I'll start a company selling curtains with Goatse on them.

    2. Re:Awesome, Google Window View in 5,4,3....... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      This is cool, I love that the science fiction future is so present in our world right now

      Yeah, it's just swell. Unmanned aerial surveillance by hackers really makes it thrilling to live here in the future.

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      You are welcome on my lawn.
  6. Link is to Flash - boooo! by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    What the hell? The link is to a flash applet that displays photos. WTF? Flash is on the way out as a technology, and unnecessarily using it for a photo gallery when HTML works just fine is one of the primary sins of idiots. And the photos are what, 100x150? Boo! Boo! Bad flash, bad developers!

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    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    1. Re:Link is to Flash - boooo! by zbyg · · Score: 3, Funny
      Did you forget about the great features of Flash? If you choose Flash over HTML, you get:
      • up to 90% shorter page loading times, because Flash is compiled and HTML is not
      • increased security, because browsers are insecure, and plugins are secure by default
      • unbelievable and very powerfull accesibility features
      • a page which works and looks the same in any browser running on any computer

      /sarcasm

  7. Another Obvious Application by hyades1 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It would have been nice to have a few camera-bearing drones bopping around over the recent G-20 meeting in Toronto, out of the immediate reach of gentlemen with badges, batons and guns. The police seem oddly selective about video evidence they use in court and video evidence that somehow goes missing whenever the defense requests it.

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    I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    1. Re:Another Obvious Application by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      out of the immediate reach of gentlemen with badges, batons and guns.

      No such place.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:Another Obvious Application by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Sadly, it looks like we have a screw loose with moderator points.

      FTFY.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    3. Re:Another Obvious Application by Israfels · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'd be more worried about the "peaceful protesters" throwing stuff at my expensive flying camera.

    4. Re:Another Obvious Application by postbigbang · · Score: 1

      The visual of one of Toronto's finest, shotgun in hand, trying not to kill pigeons, but getting those damn UAVs is hilarioius

      I wish they could also stimulate some of those RFID passport tags, and do some broadband sniffing and characterizations, too. Mmmmm. Data.

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      ---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
    5. Re:Another Obvious Application by hyades1 · · Score: 1

      I love the idea of poking the RFID passport tags. That borders on genius!

      --
      I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
    6. Re:Another Obvious Application by postbigbang · · Score: 1

      There must be a way, using the Hall Effect, to read magstripes, too. Wouldn't it be fun to find out where someone bought that mouthwash, the credit card used, and whether the car being driven needs a tune-up and exceeded the posted speed limit? Perhaps there's a way to even read dental work and hidden tattoos. A UAV with more than just WiFi...

      Oh, wait.

      --
      ---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
    7. Re:Another Obvious Application by hyades1 · · Score: 1

      Oh, for moderater points! P

      --
      I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
  8. Lovely little thing. by Securityemo · · Score: 1

    Though I'm sure "real spy drones" already have this sort of capability, along with being able to sniff other spectrums. I guess you could use it to deliver payloads to wifi clients/routers and perform automated MITM attacks, but how are you supposed to use it as an antenna extender without using another longer-range wireless system to communicate with it? Using it to locate wifi clients seems redundant as they don't have that much of a range anyway, unless you couldn't locate the access point for some reason.

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    Emotions! In your brain!
    1. Re:Lovely little thing. by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "but how are you supposed to use it as an antenna extender without using another longer-range wireless system to communicate with it?"

      I guess each time it finds an open WIFI spot, it sends the collected data (photos, videos) to its owner.

    2. Re:Lovely little thing. by Securityemo · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but that still doesn't allow live packets to piggyback on it - very useful, if you're trying to use it for cyberwarfare (to hack into a site) using a wifi connection. If penetrating the site through some other connection was possible, why would you use the drone in the first place? Using static pre-loaded attacks that trigger only on a certain MAC/SSID/other concievable signature would be much more limiting.

      --
      Emotions! In your brain!
    3. Re:Lovely little thing. by Goaway · · Score: 1

      how are you supposed to use it as an antenna extender without using another longer-range wireless system to communicate with it?

      Why "without"? You use a another longer-range wireless system to communicate with it, problem solved.

    4. Re:Lovely little thing. by Securityemo · · Score: 1

      I suppose you could use a directional antenna from the ground, but you'd have to keep it stable and make it autotracking. And splice that together from off-the-shelf parts in the same price class as the drone itself, of course.

      --
      Emotions! In your brain!
  9. I want a hunter-killer drone... by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 4, Funny

    How about a hunter-killer drone that sniffs out other drones, homes in on their telemetrics and blows them up in a blazing fireball of glory!
    That's the kind of shit I want to see.

    --
    When information is power, privacy is freedom.
    1. Re:I want a hunter-killer drone... by gclef · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It won't be long...the weapon part (or at least fireworks) has already been done

    2. Re:I want a hunter-killer drone... by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      And I've seen EDF-powered F35s going for under $300, even with simple fly-by-wire systems! Just add FPV system and let the robot fights begin!

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    3. Re:I want a hunter-killer drone... by rdnetto · · Score: 1

      Here's the kind of shit I want to see:
      Drones searching for open wifi points to connect to and run BitTorrent on. Once it's completed (and seeded) the torrents, it can return to it's owner with a full drive/USB. Bonus points if it also cracks WEP and flawed WPA automatically.

      --
      Most human behaviour can be explained in terms of identity.
  10. Turns out there is one fatal flaw by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    if the drone finds an open network it tends to crash because its too busy looking at roboporn to actually control itself.

  11. !!ALERT!! by jaggeh · · Score: 1

    Enemy UAV spotted!

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    I would give everything i own for a little bit more.
  12. lolcatz' caption by FishTankX · · Score: 4, Funny

    im in ur hotspot
    sniffin' ur pornz

  13. Something missing... by clarkkent09 · · Score: 1

    And where are the hardpoints for Hellfire missiles? Ah, cyber-offensive capabilities...

    .

    --
    Negative moral value of force outweighs the positive value of good intentions.
    1. Re:Something missing... by Arthur+Grumbine · · Score: 1

      Ah, cyber-offensive capabilities...

      Is that where the drone uses a MITM attack to insert itself into an ICQ conversation as user "bloodninja"?

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      Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure everything I just said is completely wrong.
  14. UAV's that work! by fuzzel · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As that thing does not even seem to fly and people always like to see movies, check: http://ng.uavp.ch/ for a huge amount of information about NG-UAVP's (Next Generation Universal Areal Video Platform) of course all open source hard and software.

    Multiple videos of WORKING drones over here: http://ng.uavp.ch/moin/Videos

    Also, don't forget to check this cool cyber-cute overload: Quadrocopter Drone Has Its Own Little Home :)

    Btw, what is so special about adding a wireless card/stick to a drone and letting it sniff the airwaves? :)

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    http://unfix.org
    1. Re:UAV's that work! by Falconhell · · Score: 1

      I still have a libretto, it is only 166mmx and weighs a lot in its steel case. Dont know how the webcam would go on such a slow processor either.

  15. This and Google. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    What's the difference between this and Google sniffing wi-fi, and getting flack for it? Makes no sense why Google gets whacked for something like this.

    1. Re:This and Google. by LingNoi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There is no difference and I find it funny how the horde of Google bashers and privacy nuts don't appear until there are certain keywords in a summary.

    2. Re:This and Google. by rossdee · · Score: 1

      "What's the difference between this and Google sniffing wi-fi, and getting flack for it?"

      It is probably too small to hit with a full size Flak gun, probably the best thing would be one of those fully auto shotguns with the 29 round magazine

    3. Re:This and Google. by Half-pint+HAL · · Score: 1

      Ah, but you see: Dutch hackers Do No Evil.

      That's the difference.

      HAL.

      --
      Got them moderator blues I blieve I walk out the do', With these mod-points I been gettin', I 'most never post no mo'
  16. cue the anti-aircraft weapons by FudRucker · · Score: 2, Insightful

    if i see some little drones buzzing my home i will turn the garden hose on it.

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    Politics is Treachery, Religion is Brainwashing
    1. Re:cue the anti-aircraft weapons by RobertLTux · · Score: 1

      Im sure your local dealer will supply you with everything you need to remove any UAVs from your property.

      Might i suggest creating a UAV.TXT and having a copy posted on your roof??

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      Any person using FTFY or editing my postings agrees to a US$50.00 charge
  17. Re:Cyber what? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    When professional surveillance platforms come about I hope to see light missile launchers for anti-surveillance duties.

    Something to knock out the red -light cameras on Ashland Ave at Madison St please. I'd love to be able to call down an air strike on those bitches.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  18. Dutch Rudder by Dancindan84 · · Score: 1

    Is it difficult to pilot because the Dutch makers forgot to give it a rudder?

    --
    "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde
  19. Wi-Fi Sniffing Drone? by slashchuck · · Score: 1

    Is that anything like the opium-smoking drones of the 19th Century or the cocaine-sniffing drones of today?

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    $sig not found
  20. Suggest a shotgun instead. by maillemaker · · Score: 1

    Water pressure isn't quite up to swatting RC planes at my house.

    --
    A work that expires before its copyright never enters the public domain and thus enjoys eternal copyright protection.
  21. scale it down? by bart_smit · · Score: 1

    This would be ninja-class awesome when scaled down to delfly micro scale

    1. Re:scale it down? by fishbowl · · Score: 1

      Big disappointment set in when I went to that page and didn't see a "Buy now" link.

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      -fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
  22. Strap on a brick of c4 by HeckRuler · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Ahh, the age of cheap home-built UAVs. All sorts of applications. Like this wi-fi sniffing, which is pretty neat.

    But strap a modestly sized brick of C-4 and you have yourself a (very slow) smart missile.

    1. Re:Strap on a brick of c4 by HeckRuler · · Score: 1

      oh neat, you can strap small jet engines onto these suckers. Scrap that (very slow) modifier.

  23. So What? by AB3A · · Score: 1

    I could do this much more anonymously and inexpensively with a backpack, a laptop, a GPS, and a pair of walking shoes. UAVs attract attention because, no matter who is launching them, people are generally suspicious that they're up to no good.

    --
    Nearly fifty percent of all graduates come from the bottom half of the class!