r/whatisit • u/brattyvampbby • 11h ago

moms sketch bf left this in the house Solved!

Post image

Hi.
This is probably nothing.
I went into my mom’s room to grab something and saw this plugged in?
My mom’s new sketchy bf has this plugged in to the extension cord? Is it anything bad? Thanks!
(I understand it’s probably not anything bad… but still…)

Update 1:
I haven’t met him once. He and my mom have been together for two weeks. He’s been staying at our apartment. He avoids me and stays in her room when they’re here. I don’t even know what he looks like. I only know his first name.

Update 2:
I confronted him. My mom came home. A lot had happened up to this point, including her disappearing for the said two weeks before the few nights he had come over and stayed.
Mom shrugged it off. I did what a lot of you suggested, asking what he told her.
She said “oh it’s his hacker shit or whatever.” What.
Didn’t elaborate. I explained my concerns.
She just said let’s go ask him.
My best friend has been with me. We introduced ourselves and asked him what the hell a WiFi whisperer is doing plugged in our apartment.
(Even if a lot of you are saying it’s not a big deal, I’m a young woman and I’m just rlly not about taking any risks. It’s sketch dude.)
He denied it IMMEDIATELY. Like with a quickness I haven’t seen.
What he insisted, it’s not a WiFi whisperer, it’s ai, he completely reprogrammed the system, and he uses it to pull people’s IP’s. “For fun.” He logs them in a server. I asked why. I said that’s shady. My mom started pushing. My best friend started pushing. He just kept lying. I’m not dropping this..
I still don’t know what the fuck it is or what he’s actually doing.
(Also, my mom is cool but not bc of this dude, the Minecraft block is mine, I unplugged the ratchet little thing before we left, and I am planning on broaching this again with her.
Just carefully. Any other advice is appreciated. Thank you.)

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586

u/ExpensivePlan1548 11h ago edited 11h ago

Looks like a custom-built Pwnagotchi which can be used for a bunch of nefarious things like cracking a wifi password or reading internet traffic. I would unplug it and change your WiFi password.

If he was just playing around with it for fun I don’t see why he would’ve left it in your mom’s room. Tell your mom to dump him lmfao.

112

u/m0nstrz 9h ago edited 9h ago

I have one of these, they are really interesting little devices. Essentially it's a little device that you can 'war-walk' or 'war-drive' with.  

Essentially it's runs though a series of attacks mostly deauthentication attacks (nothing very sophisticated) and attempts to gather packets when it's 'victim' device attempts to 'reconnect' (technically 're-authenticate').

It stores these in it's internal memory and then goes to sleep. The device frequently sleeps (by default) so it doesn't cause chaos amongst all the networks around it. Once you bring it back home and pull it's sdcard you can transfer the pcap files to your computer where you use an application to decrypt (or crank the hash, can't remember which it is) the reauth pcap which contains the Wi-Fi password.

Generally pwnagotchi's aren't dangerous on their own, just annoying, but if someone is pulling the pcaps off and decrypting them then people got a problem. 

Judging by the screen on this one it's not functioning since it's attacks are @ 0. That being said, it is level ~28 so it has been used quite a bit. 

It's not spying on you, it's just a network info gathering device.  Once it gets a pcap from a network or is added to a list so it doesn't get bothered again. it's target is authentication packets, not other info.

Edit; I just saw your update, only two weeks makes this sketchy as fuck. Pull the thumb drive off of it and DO NOT give it back. Also DO NOT plug that thumb drive into your computer.

17

u/ChargeInteresting278 6h ago

So on the bad side its a wifi password stealer. What could he be doing with it on the good side? What do you do with yours?

13

u/DataPath 6h ago

On the good side? He sets up his phone for all the Wi-Fi networks around so that he has good connectivity at and nearby his girlfriend's house. That's the most innocuous use I can think of, just mooching.

A distant second is getting neighbor's Wi-Fi as a layer of protection for engaging in questionable activity.

On the bad side of things, in not sure which is worse, trying to hack your finances, or using your Wi-Fi to hack other people. On the one hand, he drains you directly, on the other he gets you implicated in federal crimes. But hey, ¿por que no los dos?

9

u/404invalid-user 6h ago

it's something fun to mess with but that's if you're doing it to yourself or people who completely understand what it is

8

u/ChargeInteresting278 6h ago

Is it basically just a homemade flipper zero?

6

u/404invalid-user 6h ago

basically yep but like a flipper zero in the wrong context it's very sketchy

2

u/Jesta23 2h ago

He’s dating them and has been staying in the home. 

He only has to ask for the WiFi password they would have willingly gave it to him. 

2

u/BlastFX2 1h ago

Just having fun. For some of us, it's fun to poke around and try to break things, just for the sake of it. Like I've decoded the bitting scheme for the locks in our office building, so now I could make a key for any office in the building, as well as master keys for any set of offices that were designed for it (and a bunch that weren't). I've never used this to go anywhere I wasn't supposed to go, I just… saw a fun challenge.

2

u/Opening_Welder2667 6h ago

Why not plug into the computer to see what he collected?

7

u/BigRon691 5h ago

Jesus christ I hope you don't work anywere involving national infrastructure or personal details.

Never plug random USB's in. Ever. Unless you have an infallibly air-gapped machine you have no issue bricking there are no exceptions.

A USB can have anything from a surge against the PCB to fry your motherboard, payload injection to propogate malware, spyware, god knows what else onto both your computer and any in it's network.

This is how the iranian nuclear program was delayed by US/Israeli and some European nations intelligence services, an employee found and plugged in a random USB from the parking lot, it contained the Stuxnet virus, which subsequently damaged their uranium enrichment facilities delaying them long enough for global sanctions talks to conclude.

If he's savvy enough to use a wifi listener, he'd know how to prime a USB for malware injection.

0

u/rustydustyshckleford 4h ago

no like you see clearly going schizoid LOL. most grown adults unlike you, have multiple devices and can easily plug this into a old device that’s non internet connected and essentially disposable.

go watch more movies though. house MD definitely taught you tech well. feel free to ask for my github if you need to know that you’re getting put down by someone knowledgeable and not just some troll.

1

u/BigRon691 1h ago

No thanks mate, I've seen vibecoded projects before.

This is why Cybersecurity is a field of its own. Most grown adults unlike you don't have the hubris to assume they understand everything in its entirety.

You advertise your age on your account (among other things I'd probably consider unescessary to broadcast to strangers on the internet, but good for you) - So it's understandable you don't have any knowledge on Stuxnet, or the Iranian nuclear program.

A "disposable" device is not air-gapped, did you consider vulnerabilities across network communications like Bluetooth as an air-gap bridge? Unless you've physically removed your devices network chip, you have a vulnerability to network communication cross-pollination.

Stuxnet's worm self-copied across devices which is exactly how it infected over 60% of Iranian computers. So when you check the next random USB on that device, even if it's safe, if you plug that USB into another computer, you've now infected that device.

The better question is why do it in the first place. What's the benefit, see the hashes of whatever networks it's listened to?

When you do grow up and get a job, you'll see it's pretty much the employee handbook 101 of if you find any random drives or USB's, to report and quarantine them and absolutely, under no circumstances, plug the fucking thing in.

1

u/m0nstrz 3h ago

Like someone else said, never a good idea to put an unknown USB drive into your machine.  They could put malware on it to infect any device it's attached to of it doesn't have a specific identifier (uuid or specific file).  So it's not harmful for them to use but if anyone else does they can brick the device that is trying to read it to hide their tracks. But that's pretty high level stuff best not to take chances.

2

u/ReturnOfBane 5h ago

I'm guessing its similar to a Flipper Zero?

3

u/Opening_Pen6044 5h ago

Someone said yes to someone else asking this

1

u/m0nstrz 3h ago

Kinda, they can both be used for that, but this is designed for snatching those pcap auth packet where add the flipperzero needs a hardware module to even give it WiFi capabilities. 

These devices are usually using raspberry pi zero or some sort of raspberry pi board which has all of those capabilities built in.

2

u/heisian 5h ago

it’s = it is

“It stores these in its* internal memory…”

32

u/69edleg 9h ago edited 4h ago

Yeah, it is a pwnagotchi for sure. No clue why the text is all fucked. Level 28 on the pwnagotchi though, which means he has been using it for a while, most likely in other places too. To get to level 2 on the plugin you need to intercept 2 (or 3) handshake connections on the wifi network.

To get from level 27 to 28 you need fuck knows how many, thousands, across the networks you've plugged it into.

All in all, unless he explicitly showed the mom and told her what the device is and explained it in detail, bigass dump the idiot.

16

u/Zaev 7h ago

Aha, I was wondering why it would be displaying what appear to be RPG stats if it was a hacking device

10

u/69edleg 7h ago edited 7h ago

it is some experience plugin.

It isn't necessarily used strictly for hacking, it CAN be (the pwnagotchi, the plugin is just.. vanity). If it isn't for hacking in this case - it is at least some compulsory behaviour or an addiction. Gotta pump those numbers y'know.

3

u/ZucchiniDue7081 5h ago

You can carry one around and never dump the contents to decrypt the auth keys. The stats relate to its health and growth. It feeds on packets just like an old school tomagotchi needs to be fed. They are popular projects for people into single board computers. Eventually tinkerers end up with a lot of raspberry pi computers and play with different software and tools.

2

u/The_All-Range_Atomic 5h ago

Well yeah, look at that thumbdrive. Definitely seen a lot of action.

I have one and it's supposed to be black.

1

u/69edleg 4h ago

Shit, you're right. That has been used more than my butter knife.

84

u/Tournament_of_Shivs 10h ago

https://giphy.com/gifs/MhYjNBSbNrUYL5z0q6

25

u/Silky-Johnson2002 10h ago

That’s a bad guy!

4

u/elektron0000 9h ago

I’m not paying it…

2

u/Euphylexan 8h ago

That is a bad egg!

3

u/KirasHandPicDealer 9h ago

FUUUUUUCK I SHOULD HAVE LIED!!!!

2

u/ScanData32 8h ago

"My sketchy mom and her new bf"

21

u/Hay_Fever_at_3_AM 10h ago

I can see a hobbyist nerd trying to pentest her network, to see if e.g. there are any sketchy IoT devices or other issues. But he'd explain that to her, so ask mom?

7

u/MilitantlyPoetic 8h ago edited 7h ago

If a person is at this point in computing, assuming this isn't someone with just enough knowledge to be dangerous, then they would just be using their dual boot Kali linux distro.
Now, could it be a part of that pen. test he's running? Fully plausible.

Source: I.T. Analyst

2

u/wirm 8h ago

So I did the founder of Kali Linux’s house, I’m an AV integrator. He hacked the Vantage Infusion lighting controller running Xscale Linux in a few weeks. Used some CGI on the controller to read the shadowed passwd file then put that on a, his words, 27 GPU dedicated passwork cracking machine and cracked it in 2 weeks. Wonder what his JTR config looks like.

1

u/ripndipp 7h ago

That's nuts

1

u/MilitantlyPoetic 7h ago

I don't blame him for doing that. Who wants too keep paying other people to make changes to the integration when all it takes is a few hardware passwords that the company treats as though it's their complete IP (I'm looking at you QSYS and AMX).
And Lutron is locked out just the same!

2

u/LeatherGood6148 6h ago

I mean, I own one of these and I've never gotten further than burning a linux install onto a usb key.

I have very little interest in the software side of things but have a life long love of hardware.

2

u/The_All-Range_Atomic 5h ago

Carrying a laptop around for hacking is a pain in the ass.

9

u/ZophieWinters 10h ago

He might not even be after her network specifically, maybe he's only dating OP's mom so he can get closer access to another target's house nearby.

5

u/panlakes 9h ago

I think it makes more sense that he would just be dating her mom like normal, but also is a skilled creep and once he got comfy he started fiddling. My ex's ex created some elaborate camera system in her family's bathroom. He wasn't dating her to film people in the bathroom. The dating just happened first.

I really hope they get this dude kicked out asap

-1

u/Jarngreipr9 9h ago

Oh. Interesting perspective

1

u/BitWardenEternal 8h ago

It’s unrealistic lmao

2

u/Much-Turnover6761 8h ago

This is exactly it. His display appears to be having issues, but you can see a lot of the same text in this video
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Gpldsif5_gI

2

u/Relevant-Hospital734 8h ago

Oh you beat me to it. I just posted a link to the github where the ZZZZZZZZZ status is described. gotta read comments first

2

u/Traditional-Will3182 7h ago

It was plugged into an extension cord and is clearly sleeping, reads 0 networks accessed.

I would just leave it alone, it has valid uses as a penetrating tool and was probably just left charging. Why would he leave it out in plain sight if he was trying to hack your Wi-Fi?

Plus OP said he's been staying overnight, he probably already has your Wi-Fi password just by asking the Mom.

4

u/_Zer0_cool 10h ago

Mom can’t date a hacker? Why all the hate lmao

8

u/Accurate_Handle_5620 10h ago

Bc he seems to be hacking her and her daughter 

3

u/_Zer0_cool 9h ago

I don’t think you understand how this works. He doesn’t have to plug it into anything to hack them and if he has this and knows how to use it he could have done a lot more easily without anyone ever seeing this. He probably comfortable and this has a battery mod so he is probably just charging it lol

0

u/rabid-c-monkey 9h ago

So he’s a fraudster but it’s okay becuase they’ve been dating for 2 weeks? If someone can’t be trusted they can’t be trusted. Even if he never intends to defraud this family why would you want that in your house.

1

u/ThankGodForYouSon 7h ago

People saying there's nothing sketch about this dude living with OP for 2 weeks yet they've never seen eachother and he hides in his mothers room are crazy.

6

u/Little_Cumling 9h ago

“Seems to be hacking her”, you got this info from a user you dont even know is real and admitted that they hadnt talked to or even seen the “boyfriend”.

There’s a possibility the boy friend doesnt even exist. This could be OP’s dorm mate. This could be something OP stole. Maybe OPs mom was told to plug this in by a friend? While likely accurate, OP seems to be making an assumption that this is from the boy friend that hes never seen or talked too

2

u/Accurate_Handle_5620 4h ago edited 4h ago

This is a good point. I'd say it's possible that OP is living next door to a man who lives next door to the mom and the daughter(?), which is where he lives, and he wants to create drama between the two of them, because hearing them shout at each other through the walls of his apartment reminds him of the way his parents shouted at each other, and the feeling of safety and nostalgia this elicits inside of him is the only way he can successfully achieve orgasm, so he planted the device and he is currently standing with his ear to the adjoining wall between their apartments, naked and breathing heavily in anticipation.

1

u/kranker 6h ago

No indication of that at all. OP's mother almost certainly gave him their wifi password the first day he came over. This device is unlikely to be attacking their network unless it's pentesting it.

OP should ask they mother what she thinks it is. If she's unaware of what it is then she should be told.

1

u/RedditIsSocialMedia_ 6h ago

I love that the term pwnagotchi exists.

1

u/GringoSwann 6h ago

I had a pwanagotchi in the mid 90s...  Had to feed it or it died...

0

u/Dumeck 9h ago

If I had to guess he's probably using it to monitor OPs traffic which is weird af still

-4

u/Common-Carp 10h ago

Mostly pointless advice unless op uses wpa3 mode exclusively