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246

Canada to ban the Flipper Zero to stop surge in car thefts (www.bleepingcomputer.com)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

49 comments fedilink hide all child comments

The Canadian government plans to ban the Flipper Zero and similar devices after tagging them as tools thieves can use to steal cars.

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[–] [email protected] 166 points 6 months ago (1 children)

"Flipper Zero can't be used to hijack any car, specifically the ones produced after the 1990s, since their security systems have rolling codes," Flipper Devices COO Alex Kulagin told BleepingComputer.

"Also, it'd require actively blocking the signal from the owner to catch the original signal, which Flipper Zero's hardware is incapable of doing.

Just politicians trying to appear to be doing something so they can keep their jobs.

[+] [email protected] -10 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (4 children)

Yes, but even if the base model hardware is incapable of doing something, someone savvy enough could modify it. It's the same logic they use to ban AR-15s in some states in the US. By default, all civilian ARs are built to fire in semi-auto only, BUT, a knowledgeable individual can make it fire in full auto if they drill a hole in the lower receiver in just the right spot.

Edit: Okay, I'm getting roasted for pointing out that no system is 100% secure against malicious actors? Perhaps you're missing my point that I disagree with banning Flipper Zero and fully believe it's Canadian politicians looking like they're doing something, regardless of whether or not it will actually work.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 months ago

Yes, but even if the base model hardware is incapable of doing something, someone savvy enough could modify it.

Which negate the whole point of the discussion.

If someone can modify it, the same someone does not need it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Good point in general, but, what they're specifically talking about here (rolling codes), perhaps what they should have said is that no one can (feasibly) do it, not just that their hardware isn't capable.

Edit: Oh, for the blocking signal, that part might be functionality that could be added, I see what I think you're saying there. Still, that would be a step towards it, but it would still require serious hardware to crack a private key, as I understand.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

Are people downvoting this because you made a fair comparison between something they like (flipper) and something they don’t (guns)? Like are you being downvoted out of cognitive dissonance?