OpenWarfare.org

This project aims to enable de-centralized message delivery by passing messages between devices instead of relying on the Internet or local networks that could be shut down by authorities. It looks like it uses BlueTooth and WiFi for message passing. They are also looking for developers for a dedicated OpenWRT node implementation. I sketched out a very similar idea a while ago but the sketch was as far as I got. It reminds me of FidoNet back in my BBS days. I’ll be downloading their S60 and desktop clients to give them a try.

Via Global Guerillas

I’d never heard of P25 until I saw this video. Apparently it is a digital radio protocol widely used by Local, State and Federal government agencies. As one would expect it is prone to numerous attacks including jamming using a $15 IMME toy. Definitely worth watching. Check out their recommendations here. You can also download their research paper [pdf].

Via Hack-A-Day

It looks like Freescale is getting ready to release a Soft Radio SOC. It’s not Ultra Wide Band but it does provide some pretty awesome functionality in a small (and hopefully inexpensive) package. I would love to see some mesh networking protocols implemented using this chip. I also wonder if this would be a good platform to develop a radio “sniffer”.

via Dangerous Prototypes

As I say in the title of the OpenWarfare blog, “It had to happen sooner or later…” Well it’s looking like it’s going to be sooner rather than later. DARPA is opening up a site called UAVForge for “crowdsourcing UAV innovation”. Personally I think this is extremely cool. The only problem is figuring out if I have enough spare time to put together a team. It’s unlikely but you know I’ll be pondering it. It looks like DARPA wants to get ahead of the curve in open sourced weapons innovation which is fantastic and frankly the best way to deal with the potential negative issues surrounding such technologies. Hopefully this trend continues. The worst thing the government could do would be to try to bottle up this stuff. As we all know the genie rarely goes back in the bottle. I’m particularly interested in what sort of development procedures, frameworks and support will be available to teams. Providing a basic set of tools and technologies will greatly accelerate innovation and production. I can’t wait to see what becomes of this initiative.

Ever wondered what a Psyops transmission sounds like? Here is your answer.  Other than the it being generally cool to listen in on such things it is also the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is possible with COTS radio equipment and the internet.  There is a great Wired Article about a Dutchman (ex military) who is producing a lot of this stuff.   It would be really cool to create a geo-tagged repository of this sort of information.

via Wired via Slashdot

I know I know Instructables…I hate it too but this is a pretty nice project so it might be worth the avalanche of sign up offerings to grab the pdf. I’m still hoping for the all in one cloner but this is pretty close. It looks like you have to manually punch in the code that you want it to transmit. Still pretty useful.

This is a neat project that turns your Wifi enabled computer into a network node/router.
http://netsukuku.freaknet.org/?pag=faq

Similar to the FabLab mesh network in Afghanistan

There are a few projects out there for cloning and spoofing RFID cards but this is the best one I have seen so far.  The spoofer above small enough to fit in the hand like a normal RFID card.  He also has a cloner which seems top work with write capable cards.  Now just add a reader to the spoofer and you would have a nice little device.

Via Hackaday

Update: Unfortunately the firmware is not included on the site.  Booooo!

Technorati Tags: rfid, spoof, clone

Do you have an FPGA but do not want to spend day writing an 802.3 compliant Ethernet MAC?

Do you need to encrypt/decrypt data at 19.2 Gbits/sec?

Maybe you just need a cheap 80Mhz Oscilloscope.

Well you can have all of that an more thanks to the folks at OpenCores. This project puts the power and flexibility of FPGA’s in the hands of those of us who may not grok Verilog.

Via Adafruit Industries

Technorati Tags: opencores, FPGA, Verilog

Build your own laser listening device. It’s looks like it could use some refining but this is pretty neat as a POC.