Joel Serna's Evil Crow RF V2 SDR Brings a 2.4GHz Upgrade, MicroSD Support, and Battery Operation
Newly launched upgrade packs in a 2.4GHz radio module alongside the previous two sub-gigahertz modules, microSD support, and a battery jack.
Security researcher Joel Serna has launched a new variant of his Evil Crow RF sub-gigahertz software-defined radio (SDR) board aimed at "professionals and cybersecurity enthusiasts," offering microSD logging and a new 2.4GHz radio module for expanded spectrum coverage.
Serna launched the original Evil Crow RF penetration testing tool last year, pairing an Espressif ESP32 microcontroller with two of Texas Instruments' popular CC1101 sub-gigahertz radio modules. At its heart, the Evil Crow RF V2 is the same devices — but with a few handy upgrades.
The biggest change is in the addition of a Nordic Semiconductor nRF2401L module, which adds 2.4GHz support to the device's existing 300MHz-348MHz, 387MHz-464MHz, and 779MHz-928MHz coverage. Local logging is supported through a new microSD slot, with the updated firmware storing both web server and radio logs on an inserted card by default.
Another major upgrade is the inclusion of a battery connector, making it easier to use the Evil Crow RF on-the-go with the addition of an optional lithium-polymer battery. The two CC1101 modules, meanwhile, remain independently configurable and come with SMA connectors for use with external antennas.
"Evil Crow RF V2 allows the following attacks," Serna writes of the new variant: "Signal receiver; Signal transmitter; Replay attack; URH parse; Mousejacking; [and more]." The firmware, which comes pre-flashed to the device, is permissively-licensed open source and offers a web interface for ease of control.
The board is available for sale via the BLE Beacon Store on AliExpress for $43, with limited quantities now available and additional units to be added throughout the week. The firmware source code, meanwhile, is available on Serna's GitHub repository under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.