The Case For and Against Banning Flipper Zero Analyzed
With booming Flipper Zero sales, videos of the devices "blowing up on TikTok", and fears about Flippers being used for illegal hacking, a debate is growing about whether the devices should be restricted or even outright banned.
In this report, we examine the potential case the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) could make for a ban, along with Flipper Zero's expected counter-arguments.
Executive *******
***** ******* ********** ******* ** ****** atypical, *** ******* **** ******* ***** products ** ***** *** "*********** *** development," ** ** ******** **** *** US *** ** *** ***** *** Flippers ** ******* ***** ** ****** licenses.
** ****** *** ****** ***** * ban ** ****, **** ***** ******* for ******* **** ***** ********* ******* two ***** *** *** *** ****** going ***** ** ****** ** ****.
*** *** ***** ********** ** *** imports *** ***** ***** **** ******** can "******" *********. *** *** ***** claim ******* *** * *** ******* of ******* ****'* ******* ** ******* networks *** *** *******. *************, *** federal ********** ***** ******* ***** ** obtain ******** *** ******* ********** ******, as ** ******** *** **** ******* purchases.
******* **** ***** **** * ***** case ******* * ***. *** ******* could **** * ****** ******** **** Flippers *** ******** *** ********* *** exploration, *** *** ****** ******* ** illicit ****. ******* **** ***** **** claim **** ** *** *** ***** overshoot *** ******'* *******.
**********
******* **** ******** *** ************ ********** *** ****** ** **** *** has ***** ******* *****. ***** ***** hit~***,*** ** ******* ****, **** ~**% ** ***** ***** coming ***** ******* **** *** ~**% since **** ****.
******** **** ***** ** ****** ** 2022. ******* ******, ********* **** **** received ******** ** *****, ****** *************** ****-********** *****,******** ****** **** ***********, ************ ***** ******** *****. * ****** ** *** ****** showing ******* *** ****** ** ** staged, ******, *** ** *** ********** reflect ******* ****'* ************.
*** ***** *** ********** ******** ***** Flippers' ******* ** ********** ****** ******* systems.**** ****** ******* ****, *** ********** ****:
******* **** ***** ****/*****:
- **** ***** (*** ***)
- ****** **** ******** **** (**.** ***) using *** ******** *** (********** **********)
- ****** *******/********** (**.** ***) ******* ******* Keys
** **** ******** ****:
***** ** *** *** *** *** Seader *** (********** **********), [********] *** read *** **** ** * ********* format:
- ****** **/**** (**.** ***)
Governments, ************ *******
** ******** **** **** *****, ********** agencies *** ************ **** ***** ******.
********* **,*** ******** ** ******* *********** ****** * ******. ******, ******'* version ** *** ***,******* ******* ******** ** ***** ****, ******** **** *** ******* ***** be **** *** ******* ********. ************ *** ******* ** ***** ****, ****** **** ******** ******'* ******** against **** ********.
*** ** ********** *** *** ***** an ******** ****** ** ******** ** indicated **** ** *** *** ***** to *** *** ******. *****, * ban ** ********, ***** ********' ********* and ***** ********** ****** ******* ********.
*****, ** ******* *** ********* *** US ********** ***** ****** *** * ban *** *** *** ******* ****'* expected ****************.
Government ****** ***** ****** **** *** ***
* ******* *** ***** ****** **** via *** ***, ***** ***** **** jurisdiction ******* ******** ******** **** ********. The *** *** ****** ** ****** years ** ****** *** ******* - restricting***** *** ********* ****************** ***** ****, *** ******** - ** *** agency ***** ** **** ** *********.
******* **** *** ******** *** *************, *** ****'* *** * ***** impediment ** *** ******. *** ****** can ****** ************** *** ******** ****** to *** ****** **** *** *****. The *** *** ******* ************** *** several ****************** ********* ********* ** *** PRC ********** ** ****** *****, ****** national ******** ********. ******** ************ ****** ******** ** ******* **** and ******* ******** ** ***** ****.
FCC ***** ******** ******** ** ****** *******
*** *** ***** **** * *** on *** ******'********* ************* ******** "******** ** *** ** otherwise ********* **** ********** ***** **************." The *** *** ****** * ******* of ****** *******, ********* **** *****, GPS, *** **** *******. ** *** notable ****, ****** ****** * ****** $** ******* fine ******* *.*.*. **********, **. ** 2014*** "********* *** ****** ** ****** jamming *******."
******** *** **** ** "*** ** otherwise *********" **** *******, ** **** could ** ****** ** *** *** prohibition.
*** *** ******* ********* ***** ********* (**) *******, ** ********* ******** ** ** devices *** ****** **** **** *** jam ** ********* **** ***** ************** may ** *** **** *************** ***** to ** *** ***.
Flipper **** ***** ****** *** ******** *** *** to *** *******
******* **** ***** ****** ***** ** the **** "********" ** ******'* ****** ***********: ******** "********** *** ** ********* ********* **** authorized ***** **************" [******** *****]. ******* Zero ***** **** * ****** **** that *** ******** *** ******** ** educate, *** ** "*** **... *********" with **************.
****** **** *** *** ***** ** example ** * ******* ****** **** an ********, *** ***'* ****** *********** has ********* ******** ******** ********** ******** or ******** ** ****** *******. **** is ******* ** ********** **** *** FCC ******** **** *** ****** *********** only ******* ** **** ********.
FCC ***** *** ******** ******* ********, *** **** *********
*** *** ***** ************* **** * ban **** *.*.*. § ****, * ******* **** ****** *** FCC ** *** ******* **** (*) are **** ** "********" ******* "*** network ** * ******** ** ******** communications *******" *** (*) **** * national ******** ****** ** *** ** or ** *******. ****** *** ******* is ********* ******** ** *** *** authorizations ** *****, *********, ******, ******, and *** ********, ** **** *** mention ***** ********* ** **** *** the *** *** ** ****** ***** the ******* ** *** ******** ******* the *** ********** **** *** *****.
******** ******* ******* *** ***** *********: they *** **** ** "********" ******* "network[s]."
**'* * ****** ** ****** ******* they ******* *** ******. **** ***** argue **** ******** **** ******** ******** threats, *** **** **** ** *** from *********** ********. ** *** *** proceeded **** * *** ** ******** security *******, ** ***** ****** **** a ******* ******** ********'* ******: **** ******** *** **** *** security ** *** ** *** *** citizens ** ************ ******* **********, **** allowing ********* ** **** ****** ** RFID-controlled **********. **** **** ******* **** is *** ****** **** ******* ** is ***-********** *******. "******** ********" ** * ***** term **** *********** **** ******** *** foreign ******* ** *** ** *** Americans.
Flipper **** ***** ****** ***** ******** *** ***********, *** ******** ******** *******
******* **** ***** **** * ***** case ******* * ** *.*.*. § 1601 ***. *** ******* ***** ****** point *** **** **** ** *** illicit **** ***** ** ****** ****** are ******, *** ********* **** ******** are******** ** ******* ***** *** ******* network ***********. ******* **** ***** **** *** Jersey's ************* *** ************** *********** ****, which ********* ********** ***** ********:
[********] *** ** **** ** * positive, **********, *** ********** *** *** pentesters *** ******* ***** ** ***** about, ******, *** ******* ******* *** protocols.
***** **** *** *** ***** * case ** ***** * ******* ************ argued ******* * ******* *** ** claiming *********** ********, ****'* *** ********** surprising. ******* **** *** ***** **** in *** **, *** "***********" ********* wouldn't **** ***** *** **** ***** that *** ****** - ***** **** to ** **** ** **** ********.
*** **** **********, *********** **** ** Flippers **** ** ****** ** ************ them ** * ****** ** ******** security. **** *** ****** ***** ******** security *******, **** ******* ***** ** terrorist *************, ***********, *** ******* ******** threats - *** ********** *********. ******* Zero ***** ***** **** *** ******** do *** ******** *** ** *** more **** ******** **** ******** **** do. ****** ********* *** *** ******** bats ** *******, **** **** ********** purposes *** *** *** ********* ** the ** ** ********** ******* ** national ********.
******* **** ***** **** ***** **** extending ** *.*.*. § ****'* ************ to ******** ***** ******* *** ****** of *** *******. *** ****** ** to ******* ******** ******** ** ********** PRC-connected ********* **** ***** *** ********* from ********* ********* ******** ****. ******* Zero's ********* ***** ***** **** *** standard ******* ** *** ******* **** not ***** ******* ****, * ******* that ***** * ********** ********* ****** to ********* **** *** ****** ***** by ********* **** ***** *** *********.
Flipper **** *** ***** **** *** **** *** **** ********* ** *** ********
* ******* ********* ******** ******* **** may ****** ** **** *** *** does *** **** *** ********* ** ban ********.
*** *** *** ******* **** *.*.* § ***, ***** **** **** *** ******* of *** ****** ** ** “*******[*] interstate *** ******* ******** ** ************* by **** *** *****." ******* **** might, ********* *** ********* **** **** ** their ******* ******* *** ***, ***** **** *** *** **** not **** *****-******* ********* ** *** products **** *** ********* **** ********. For ********, *** *.*. ******* “*************” rejected *** ***'* “********** **** ** possesses ******* ********* ** *** ****** a ***** **** ****** ******* ******** has ******* ** **** **** ********* to *** ** **** ****" ******* ********** *********** *. ******** ********* Board. ** ******* *****, *** ******** is **** *** *** ****** ** beyond *** ******* **** *** *** it **** *.*.* § ***- ** "*******[*]... ************* ** **** and *****" - ****** ******** ********** instructs ** ** ** **.
*** *** ******** ** ****** *** Flipper **** **** ** ** *** Dahua *** *********. ******** **** ******* fall ***** *** ***’* ******* **** surveillance ********* ****. ** *********, **'* not * ******* ** ************ ******** as ** *******. ***** ******* ********** fall ***** *** ***'* *******: ** "regulat[e]... ************* **... *****."
Congress ***** ***** ******** ***********
*** *** ***** **** **** ******** to ***** ******** *********** ** *** Flippers. *** ****'* ***** ********. ******** is ** ****-***** ********, *** * company **** ******* **** ****** **** not ******* *** **** ** ******* bipartisan ****** ****** ** **** *********** in *****'* ****** ********* *** ********* politics.
*** ** ******** *** ***** ******** legislation, ** ***** ** **** ********* for ******* **** ** ******* * ban. ****** *** ********* **** ******** legislation ** **** ******* ** ** unconstitutional. *** ******* **** ** ***** a ******** *******, ** ***** **** to ***** **** *** ******* ** somehow ************ **** *** ** ************.
US *** ***** *** ********, ****** **** *** ****** *********
****** ******* ******* **** ***** ************* come ******* ** ******* *** ****** Protection (***), ***** *** ******* ***** willingness ** ********* ******* *** *******. CBP****** **,*** ******** ** ****, ***** ****** * ****** *** doing **.
*** ***** *** ****** ** ***** a ********* ***.*** ********** **** *** ****** *** *** imports ** ******** "**** ***** ****** community ******, ****** ******, ******** *******, children, ** ******** ***** *** ****** life, ** ***** **** ***** ****** our ******** *********." ******* **** *********** meets ******* ** ***** ********, ****** criminals * **** ** ********** ****** control *******.
******* ******** ******* ** ***** *** ******* **** Hong ****, * *** *** ***** *********** prevent ******* **** **** ******* *** products ** *** **.
Flipper **** *** *** ******* *** *** ******** ** ******
******* **** ***** ****** ****** * similar ******** **** ** ** ***** against * *** ***: **** *** products *** ** **** ********* **** permitted ******* **** ******** ****, *** that ******** **** **** ********** *********** and *********** ****.
*** ** ***** ***** ************ **********, though, *** ******** ****** ** *** decisions ** ********. ********** * *** ban ***** ** *********.
Compromise: *******/***** *********** ***** ******** ********, ******* ********
* ******-**** ******** ***** ** ** regulate ******** ****** **** *** ****. A ****** ****** ***** ** ** require ******* ********* ** ******** ********** checks ** ****** ******** ****** ********** the *******.
**** *** **** *********. ** *********, product **** *** **** ******** ** the **. **** ****** *********** ******** and ******* *** *** ******** ******. Citizens *** ******** ***** ** ****** launchers ***** *** *** ******* *** of **** *** *** ******** ******** Act ** **** ****** * *******. In * **** ******* ******* *******, the *** **** ***** ********* ******** ********* ********** ********* *********** ****** ** ******** ** printers.
********** ******** ** * ****** ****** for *** ******* ********. ** ***** allay ********** ******** ***** ********' ******* to ********** ******* ********** ***** ***** allowing ********* ** *** ******** *** legitimate *********** *** *********** ********.
Flipper **** ** ********
******* **** *** *** ******* ** repeated ******** *** ******* **** ****. We **** ****** **** ****** ** we ******* * ********.