The Flipper Zero is a Swiss Army knife of a pen-testing tool, combining a radio, an RFID interface, an infrared transceiver, and Bluetooth in a small, handheld package. Using one is relatively easy for the technically minded, but its user interface has a small screen and buttons that require multiple steps for operation. A new project called V3SP3R (Vesper) aims to change that by using an AI model and an Android app for easily and quickly controlling the Flipper.
The Vesper app installs on an Android device and uses OpenRouter to connect to any of the service's AI models. The bot then becomes a go-between between the user and the Flipper, controlling all of its subsystems. Users can then ask questions and issue commands to their hacking tool, ranging from asking the battery percentage, to analyzing an IR capture, up to creating entire scripts to interface with other devices.
V3SP3R's input is multimodal, meaning users can talk to the bot via text chat, voice commands, and even by sending pictures using the phone's camera. As an added bonus, Vesper integrates with Mentra smart glasses, allowing for full hands-free operation and picture-taking. Any dreams of Hollywood "hack the firewall" scenarios may well come true (at least to some extent).
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Readers are probably concerned about security and auditing, and rightly so, given the fact that AI agents don't have the greatest reputation for staying on task. Vesper classifies each of its operation types from low to high risk, and asks the user for approval as necessary. System-level operations like firmware access and some settings are blocked outright. The app keeps a history log of the interactions with the bot for auditing.
Installation and usage seems to be fairly straightforward for a tool of this time: build and install the Vesper APK on your phone, set up an OpenRouter account and configure its credentials there in, and connect to the Flipper Zero. The project page contains suggestions about the best models to use, weighing cost, speed, and effectiveness.
The Flipper itself has been in the news oftentimes for facilitating malicious hacking, usually as part of arguably misguided bans targeting commonly used security researching tools, but the color of the hat you put on when using Vesper and a Flipper is ultimately your responsibility. Enterprising security experts and general hackers can get going with Vesper by watching a Youtube demo. If you're not into hacking, you can use the Flipper to just play some games, too.
Bruno Ferreira is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware. He has decades of experience with PC hardware and assorted sundries, alongside a career as a developer. He's obsessed with detail and has a tendency to ramble on the topics he loves. When not doing that, he's usually playing games, or at live music shows and festivals.
More stuff to sell to script kiddies who think they can be a hacker by buying something off amazon.
Not much more advanced than going house to house checking if someone left the door unlocked. Almost everything it can detect as been patched long ago. Sure you can hack bluetooth and infrared remotes for tv but if someone is already in the house you have a much larger issue.
A very large number of the so called exploits you see published are so complex that it take a lot of reading to understand that a lot of times the condition required are so rare to be impossible. They are almost as bad as saying step1 is to win the lottery. The problem is these guys are trying to make money publishing articles and hyping it on the internet to get more views. They know if they disclosed how complex it was to exploit nobody would care...especially the script kiddies who want to learn nothing.
The real hacking devices that do things like allow direct memory access in a computer are where the real risk is. These are commonly used by cheaters in online games to bypass the anticheat software. Problem is even dumb hackers know that to place a board in a computer requires physical access.
Not as much fun as thinking you can wireless hack things with silly devices.
