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Posts: 22 | Thanked: 21 times | Joined on Jul 2010 @ Spain
#255
Originally Posted by *Sonic* View Post
Forgive my ignorance here in all of this

But is it not possible for anyone to make an N900 interface and get Backtrack Mobile up and running (barring the packet injection side of things)

Backtrack has been available for quite a long time

So is there anything stopping someone else doing what Neo has been trying to do, or has he been doing something so unique that no one else will be able to do if Neo decides to completly abandon the project or take a lot longer than orginally stated (end of July)
There's nothing stopping someone else doing it or "so unique" about this project except that:

1- It is *A LOT OF WORK* to port all the bunch of apps included in BT... Not to mention all the testing necessary after porting.

Some are pretty much straight forward, in fact many haven't been (publicly) ported for the only reason that noone has even tried to. Others will need just a little work, and also optifiying unless they are meant to be run inside a chroot'ed environment.

In fact, for this project, a chroot, better if inside a truecrypt volume would be the wiser approach to lesser cross contamination with the underlaying os (almost a requirement for forensics work). Probably even better a readonly image for integrity +UnionFS+ rw truecrypt volume. If it is a debian chroot, also the porting of apps will be *MUCH* LESS.

And finally some other apps will be a PITA to port if not require a full redesign.

No matter how good NeoPwn is, or how many time he is willing to spend in that: This is not a single man task. BT wasn't a single man task and needed many user support and years to reach current state even if it was more a job of integration as porting was unneeded.

The only advantage here is that the design, list of tools, etc is mostly done in BT, and that multiple hardware support is unnecesary.

If NeoPwn has already spent some good time in doing this task, that would be the first, well deserved, "unique" advantage he has.

2- Main GUI/Lancher/Integration is where the real "art" is. This may be a one single person task, and in fact it is preferrable for consistency (of course feedback + some help is assumed to be needed). This is also the part that could be perfectly made commercial or include premium paid features, or whatever. It is the "heart" of the whole project or the most "unique" component if you prefer.

3- The kernel module or kernel with patched wifi driver capable of packet injection: While unrelated to the vast majority of BT tools it is usually considered one of the most wanted features. At this time, its also a unique advantage of NeoPwn as the driver isn't available for N900 yet. Considering lxp was the only one KNOWN to be working on it, it can be a "unique" advantage for a while.

NeoPwn is perfectly right in using that advantage at least until the initial launch, even more if he has paid or offered any compensation for that job to be done.

But it is only a temporary advantage for several reasons:

1- Probably the intention is already to make it public when it is considered to be ready for public release. In fact, lxp has said something about that... but lets not take anything for granted.

2- Once it is feasible, it is just a matter of time that anyone else will develop another one.

3- Unless the driver is not based on already gpl'ed sources any kind of public redistribution should include or have its sources available.

4- Even if proprietary and in binary form, and whatever the protection used (if any) it will be eventually circumvented. <- Being ilegal doesn't mean it wouldn't happen.

5- If the full project as a whole doesn't prove good in itself, the driver won't change that, and if it is, it won't need that advantage anymore.

In conclusion... it will be a matter of time that N900 has a public packet injection capable driver, more security tools and apps ported, and probably even some sort of integration/launchers are made... *BUT* it will be MUCH SOONER and probably MUCH BETTER if NeoPwn manages to reorganize his stuff and continues with this project.
 

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