The Wi-Peep stands out due to its accessibility and portability. In addition, it was created by Abedi’s team using only a store-bought drone and a small amount of readily available hardware, costing only $20.University of WaterlooThe device, named Wi-Peep, can fly close to a building and then utilize the WiFi network of the inhabitants to quickly identify and locate any WiFi-enabled devices within.
Dr. Ali Abedi, an adjunct professor of computer science at Waterloo, explains the significance of this discovery. While scientists have explored WiFi security vulnerability in the past using bulky, expensive devices, the Wi-Peep is notable because of its accessibility and ease of transportation. Abedi’s team built it using a store-bought drone and $20 of easily purchased hardware.
The team built the Wi-Peep to test their theory and quickly realized that anyone with the right expertise could easily create a similar device.