Inside a low-budget consumer hardware espionage implant
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Submission timeline
2007–2026One slot for every year since HN launched. Height is that year's peak points; orange marks a 100+ point or 50+ comment breakout. Select a bar to open its strongest thread.
First comments on top threads
HN comment orderI wonder why they even bothered with such a high end processor like the MT6261. Get a bare die micro like the MSP430, and a bare die GSM chipset, and you're set. You'd have to dissolve your SIM card in acid and wire bond it to the PCB, but wire bonding machinery is pretty cheap. Realistically, this is stupid easy for a state-level actor. A good hardware hacker worth their salt could probably set up a bug no bigger than…
An even easier one would be a modified keyboard. Anyone could fit an esp32 into a keyboard, swap it out, leave it lying around, sniff keystrokes, access with Bluetooth or WiFi, could have it only have the radio on for certain windows in time etc.
Easy way to detect this without an RF detector - use a "usb charge doctor" which is a super cheap voltage and current measurement tool for USB. If the cable draws current with nothing attached, dissect it. Incidentally, my theory about the website and product is that this is a firmware reuse of a fleet tracking product. The manufacturer is likely an electronics manufacturing outfit that adapted the layout to match the new application but didn't have in-house firmware developers…
The first top-level comment from each of the four biggest threads, in HN’s own order. Excerpts are shortened; open a comment for full context.
- Breakout years
- 3
- Total points
- 1141
- Total comments
- 229
100+ points or 50+ comments
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
reference only — not used in Hall rules or ranking
Every submission
| Date | Title as submitted | By | Points | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-11-11 | Inside a low-budget consumer hardware espionage implantFirst breakout · Best thread | patadune | 591 | 92 |
| 2019-06-15 | Inside a low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018) | lelf | 210 | 43 |
| 2024-05-15 | A low budget consumer hardware espionage implant (2018)Latest 20+ point return | fanf2 | 340 | 94 |