Sendai7 Is a Cyberdeck Purpose-Built for WiFi Pentesting

ChainsawMcD built a cyberdeck called Sendai7 with the necessary hardware to experiment with pentesting and WiFi networks in general.

Cameron Coward
4 years agoSecurity / Science Fiction

Penetration testing (or “pentesting” for those who want to save a few syllables) is a form of ethical hacking in which authorized security professionals attempt to identify vulnerabilities in computer networks and systems. If they’re able to find a vulnerability and gain access, then black hat hackers could do. Pentesting is necessary for companies and organizations that want to be proactive about their security. One common network entry point is WiFi, and hacking wireless networks requires some specialized hardware. Redditor ChainsawMcD created a cyberdeck called Sendai7 with that hardware in order to experiment with pentesting and WiFi networks in general.

The term “cyberdeck” originates from William Gibson’s classic 1984 cyberpunk novel Neuromancer, in which “deckers” would use their cyberdeck computers to hack in a worldwide virtual reality network called “the matrix.” There is a whole community of modders today who build computers inspired by those cyberdecks, but they aren’t usually built with a specific job in mind. Rather, most cyberdecks are intended to be working props and the aesthetics are more important than anything else. Sendai7 is designed to be functional, and gives ChainsawMcD the ability to hack WiFi networks on the go — ethically of course, for educational purposes.

Sendai7 is built around a 4GB version of the Raspberry Pi 4 single-board computer. That is paired with an official Raspberry Pi 7” touchscreen LCD. A NooElec NESDR Smart v4 is used as the software-defined radio (SDR), and an Alfa AWUSO36NH High Gain USB WiFi Network Adapter provides better performance than the Raspberry Pi’s integrated WiFi module. Power comes from an EasyAcc 20,000mAh portable battery pack and input is done through a Logitech K400 Plus wireless keyboard. The enclosure is a NeeGo Pi 4 Screen Case that was customized with paint and decals. On the software side, ChainsawMcD is running the Debian Buster Linux distro and has installed GQRX for the SDR, the full suite of Kali Linux WiFi tools, and an on-screen keyboard called Onboard. The results look fantastic and Sendai7 should provide everything ChainsawMcD needs to practice WiFi pentesting.

Cameron Coward
Writer for Hackster News. Proud husband and dog dad. Maker and serial hobbyist.
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