Flipper Zero creators react to its cancellation

The creators of Flipper Zero responded to the ban on the device in Canada, saying that the accusation that it facilitates car thefts is unjustified.

In early February 2024, Canadian Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne proposed a ban on “hacking devices, such as flippers,” as he claims criminals use them to steal cars.

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Authorities have released statistics showing an increase in car thefts, reaching 90,000 annually. Canadian lawmakers believe this is linked to the availability of Flipper Zero and similar hacking tools.

Flipper Zero is a mobile, programmable pen-testing tool that allows users to experiment and debug various materials and digital devices. It uses multiple protocols such as RFID, radio, NFC, infrared, and Bluetooth.

However, much of Flipper Zero's functionality can be replicated through other devices, such as computers, Android , and Raspberry Pi. These devices are not subject to any country-wide ban.

Flipper Devices, the manufacturer of the portable pen-testing tool, says these claims are misleading and that the Flipper Zero cannot perform car thefts through unauthorized entry systems.

"We believe that proposals like this could be detrimental to security and slow down technological progress," says a new blog post from Flipper Devices.

"Usually, stolen cars are built by people who don't really understand how security works, and they don't take any action to address the problem of vehicle theft.".

The developers explain that stealing a car requires signals that cost between $5,000 and $15,000 and can be obtained over the Internet.

Car thieves approach the front door of the vehicle with repeaters, transmitting the key fob's passive signal. The accomplice, who is nearby, unlocks the vehicle using the deceptive signal as a real key.

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These repeaters have multiple radio units and enough watts to successfully carry out the attack.

On the other hand, the Flipper Zero relies on a single radio module and is limited to just ten milliwatts, making it low-powered and impractical for situations like actual car thefts.

“To transmit signals with key fobs, thieves use large antennas,” explains Flipper Devices.

"Documented cases of car theft on video reveal that the equipment takes up a lot of space in thieves' backpacks.".

The Flipper Zero team criticizes the ban decision, given that the internal electronics used by the device have been widely available for many years and are used by many other devices.

Solving the source of the problem

Device manufacturers are focusing on the underlying flaw in the media, rather than the real issue. This concerns the widespread use of old and vulnerable access control systems in automotive systems.

“The Flipper Zero is built with hardware used in a variety of devices, from radio toys to DIY educational kits. For example, the CC1101 radio transmitter included in the Flipper Zero has been in widespread use since 2007. The issue is not the availability of the radio hardware, but rather the insecurity of outdated access control systems.” – Flipper Devices.

Developers point out that banning tools that researchers use to find security flaws will only exacerbate the issue , leaving devices exposed to exploits for longer periods of time.

Finally, the Flipper Zero team is asking for the support of the security and pen-testing community, urging people to sign a petition against the banning of Flipper Zero and similar devices.

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Fans of the device in Canada founded the website “Save Flipper” to raise awareness, urging citizens to contact their MPs and demand that the ban request be rejected.

Source: bleepingcomputer