The Raspberry Pi is a credit card-sized computer that has taken the technology world by storm. Originally designed to encourage children and schools to program, the affordable device was selected by the development and piracy industries and was the central device in projects that no one else would dream of during its development.
Raspberry Pi, released in 2013, is the name of a series of single-card computers that aim to educate people about computers and facilitate access to computer education. However, it also offers several general input/output pins that you can use to control electronic components for physical computers and explore the Internet.
Besides, the Raspberry Pi can interact with the outside world and has been used in a variety of digital creative projects, from music devices and children’s sensors to weather stations.
1. Reasons for using Raspberry Pi
– The Pi is a Linux computer, so technically it can do everything that any Linux computer can
For example, running email and web servers, as network storage, or as a VPN. You can find a lot of projects designed specifically for the Raspberry Pi which is used to teach kids coding, turn it into a DIY game console, use it as a multimedia center connected to your TV, and a camera or even make a modern teddy ruxpin.
– Use the Pi to emulate standard technology
It’s rarely the easiest or least expensive option, but it can be a fun way to learn new skills. You can create your own Amazon Echo-like Alexa device, a wireless hotspot, a chrome cast device, an Airplay receiver for music streaming, and even your cloud file synchronization service.
Nothing can replace the joy you get when you put a series of words on the command line for 20 minutes and get a fully functional Amazon Echo. Is it cheaper to buy the Echo Dot? Not. But it’s a lot more fun.
– Many companies offer Raspberry Pi
The Raspberry Pi has made it a lot easier to tackle impossible projects since you don’t have to waste time doing basic things like adding a touchscreen. With the official Raspberry Pi camera module, for example, you can add a camera to the Pi and use it as a target and shooting camera or as a surveillance camera.
2. Some DIY online security projects you can try yourself
Online security is becoming an increasingly important issue. It’s easy to understand why, with high-level hacks and a steadily growing trend towards data collection. Your information has never been so threatened. The increasing use of technology in the general security of everyday life is also changing the way law enforcement works.
Besides a good password policy and monitoring for obvious fraud, what can you do to protect yourself? It is an important step to know more about how information security and technologies work.
These DIY projects with the Raspberry Pi are the ideal starting point:
– Kali Linux
This is a security-oriented Linux distribution, which helps to know more about how hacking works.
Kali Linux is also available for ARM systems such as the Raspberry Pi and is easy to install. The operating system has several special tools that you can use to learn more about information security practically. Also, due to its portability, the Pi is a desirable device for professional penetration testers.
– CIRClean
CIRClean is a project to protect people and information. The goal is to solve some problems for journalists in certain parts of the world by safely extracting information from a USB drive without connecting it to a computer that we may want to use again
By using Raspberry Pi you can transfer information safely from a potentially infected USB drive to a clean, reliable USB drive without transferring malware or notifying anyone of the transfer.
– PoisonTap
PoisonTap is the invention of the American researcher Samy Kamkar on the subject of data protection and security. By using only one Raspberry Pi Zero, PoisonTap can infiltrate any computer, even if it’s locked or password protected.
The power supply of the USB connection emulates an Ethernet connection via USB before all internet traffic is redirected. As if that weren’t enough, PoisonTap sets up a permanent back door in the system that allows the hacker to maintain access long after the Pi is removed.
– Face recognition with OpenCV
Surveillance and face recognition works for hand in hand, however, it can be implemented with Raspberry Pi. It only requires a Pi and a camera module plus a battery to make it mobile and uses OpenCV to recognize different faces.
Portable and easily expandable systems are an additional form of access protection that can be connected directly to locking or alarm devices.
– Nagios network monitoring
Nagios offers network monitoring to companies, and its typical use cases are not focused on security. However, an independent monitoring tool is an essential part of secure network management, and Nagios for Pi can provide it.
You can use it to protect yourself from the deterioration of the website. The installation of Nagios on the Pi is also simple.
– Pi-hole
Pi-hole is a free tool that can completely block ads from your home network. Blocking ads doesn’t seem like a security issue at first glance, but many disagree. With a large number of scammers and hackers using malicious pop-ups to launch phone scams and ad-injected malware, Pi-hole could save you more than trouble.
If you need more info on how to start, our partner Axel Mammitzsch offers a step-by-step Raspberry Pi video course for beginners (for MAC and PC)! The first four lessons you can watch for free and then decide if you will buy the whole course. Here’s a quick glimpse:
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