First meeting recap and topic selection: Hacking on ARM

[DC775]

Thanks to everyone who showed up for our first meeting! 

During the meeting we discussed the direction we'd like to take the group. It's been decided that we should get everyone up to speed on using linux and security tools. It's been suggested we utilize the ARM platform as a basis for this educational phase. This is due to the fact that most ARM boards are relatively inexpensive, and the operating system support for hacking/security on this platform is pretty mature these days.   

There are a few different options that you can choose:

The Raspberry Pi - I suggest going with a RPi 3 ( https://www.adafruit.com/pi3 ) if you don't already have one. Pretty much any one will work, although the RPi A and A+ might be just too underpowered (unless you feel like going commando with no GUI!) 

A few of us in the group have preordered the Pine64, and feel that the hardware in this unit is superior to the Raspberry Pi 3. Although since this is a generation 1 product, I'm sure there will be some bugs that will need to be ironed out.

You could try your luck with any of the boards listed from Offensive Security's Kali Linux ARM Images site, but I feel that some of those choices there might be a bit more advanced if you don't have much experience yet. Also I'm not going to tailor my instructions around Kali, however most of the information should be very similar, if not identical. Personally I'd stick with a RPi - but if you feel up to it, by all means go for it! We're here to hack!

Our friends over at ParrotSec have kindly offered their support in our endeavors on the ARM platform, and will be developing a Pine64 specific image for us very shortly. Here's a link to the current Raspberry Pi Parrot Security OS images. 

The guides here and here should walk you through getting the Parrot OS image on your SD card. Don't forget to expand your partition after you copy the image! (GParted in Linux will probably be your safest/easiest bet)

Once we get everyone a working board with Parrot OS, we'll movie on to the hacking!

If you have any questions/comments/love/hate/etc... please feel free to post it! 

[DC775]

PS: I (njones920) am in the process of setting up a library/repository server of sorts at the ZAP Lab. I've collected a good amount of educational materials over the years and want to share it with the group. If you have something you want to add, let me know.

[Mj McDonald]

Thanks very much for facilitating the meeting. It was very informative. I ordered a couple Pine64s. Have you gotten yours yet?

[njones920]

No Problem!

I haven't gotten mine yet. I'll post the latest email news I've received: 

The following lists of products have been already dispatched as of this morning: You should receive them in the next 2-5 days. 

1) 1GB PINE64 Board only February
2) 2GB PINE64 Bord only February
3) Holiday PINE64 board only
4) 1GB PINE64 Board only March
5) 2GB PINE64 Board only March
6) 1GB PINE64 Board + Wifi/BT February
7) 2GB PINE64 Board + Wifi/BT February
8) 1GB PINE64 Board + Wifi/BT March
9) 2GB PINE64 Board + Wifi/BT March
10) 512MB PINE64 Board only early bird up to first 1000 units (Feb)
The following is the schedule for April 4 - 12th dispatch: in this order

11) 512MB PINE64 Board + Wifi February
12) 1GB Board + Power Supply February
13) 1GB Board + Wifi + Power Supply February
14) 2GB Board + Power Supply Feburary
15) 2GB Board + Wifi + Power Supply February
16) 1GB Board + Power Supply March
17) 1GB Board + Wifi + Power Supply March
18) 2GB Board + Power Supply March
19) 2GB Board + Wifi +Power Supply March
20) 512MB PINE64 Board March
21) 512MB PINE64 Board + Wifi March
22) 512MB PINE64 Board + Wifi + Power Supply March

April 13 - 22nd will ship the following batch: 
21) Any 1GB Board configurations from #1-22 with Acrylic cases
22) Any 2GB board configurations from #1-22 with Acrylic cases
23) Any 512MB Board configurations from #1-22 with Acrylic cases
24) 1GB Board only April up to 5000 units
25) 2GB board only April up to 5000 units
26) 1GB Board + wifi April up to 5000 units
27) 2GB Board + wifi April up to 5000 units
28) 512MB board with and without wifi up to 5000 units April
29) 1GB configurations #24-27 with power supply
30) 2GB configurations #24-27 with power supply
31) Any 1GB configuration from #24, 26, 29 with Acrylic case April
32) Any 2GB configuration from 25, 27, 30 with Acrylic case April
33) Any 512MB Configuration from 28 with acrylic case April

April 23 - May 6 
34) 2GB Any configurations with other addons excluding ABS case
35) 1GB any configurations with other addons excluding ABS case
36) 512MB any configurations with other addons excluding ABS case

ABS case designs will be finalized and mold to be cracked April 15th. Final ABS delivery date to TBD after mold gets cracked. 

All other components such as POT, and modules are all arriving by end of April 12th at our warehouse. 

All apparel have been dispatched separately. 

We will start to dispatch IoT, Playbox, media kits as expected in May. 

Please note that the above dates are dispatching dates and do not mean arrival dates. Expect arrival dates to be 5-10 business days after dispatched as we historically have been notified deliveries are around 3-6 days after dispatched. 

Again, we cannot do a live update of tracking numbers, we we will upload a batch of tracking number weekly, as they must be manually entered in batches of 250-500. 

TL is flying to Asia this week to start the drill-down process of mass shipping on the above lists. 

We'll be uploading 3D files shortly once we confirm fitment early next week and will start to push out user manuals and instructional videos the weeks after. 

Thank You for everyones support. 

[Mj McDonald]

Thanks for the update. Sorry I didn't make the meeting last Friday. Anything happen of note?

[njones920]

Hey Mj

A year later, it looks like the Pine64 is actually about useable for what we want to do.

Come see us at the new place!