Where is the Flipper Zero banned? (2024)

The Flipper Zero, a versatile pen-testing tool dubbed by many to be a Swiss army knife of hacking, has captured the attention of governments worldwide, as they closely monitor its capabilities and potential implications for cybersecurity. While it's not capable of anything that other devices weren't already, its unique selling point is that it manages to put all of it into one single device. There are a couple of countries that ban the Flipper Zero outright, but there are many countries that have a gray area stance on it.

Why do some countries want to ban the Flipper Zero?

It's a lot of misinformation

The Flipper Zero, a multi-function hacking tool, has been falsely accused of enabling car thefts in several viral videos shared on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter). The Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada agency has specifically linked the device to an increase in vehicle thefts. However, these claims are misguided, as the Flipper Zero and similar tools are not capable of independently stealing cars.

To exploit a keyless entry system using a Flipper Zero, an attacker would need access to the original set of keys. They would then capture the signal sent by the keys and replay that signal near the car. However, this action alone would not start the vehicle; instead, it would desynchronize the key from the car's rolling code system.

Rolling codes are a security feature in which the remote and the car's receiver generate a new, unique code each time the remote is used. The receiver predicts the next expected code based on an algorithm that uses the previous code as an input. Consequently, simply replaying a captured signal will not grant access to the vehicle, as the rolling code system prevents unauthorized entry.

Couple that with the actual abilities of the Flipper Zero, and it's no wonder that people are scared and governments are looking to enact kneejerk reactions.

What countries currently ban the Flipper Zero?

Brazil was first

In 2023, people in Brazil who ordered Flipper Zero devices found that their orders had been seized by Anatel, the telecommunications agency of Brazil. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, or EFF, said that Anatel had flagged them as being criminal devices, which prevents them from being certified. Users have not been able to have these tools certified, leading to them effectively being banned in the country currently.

Canada might be next, though it's now unlikely

There has been talk of the Flipper Zero being banned in Canada, though it now seems unlikely that an outright ban is on the cards. As already mentioned, The Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada agency had signaled its intention to ban the Flipper Zero, but now it appears that it will only be banned for illegal use. In other words, it will be banned for doing things that users were already not allowed to do.

With that change, it's unlikely that users will be prevented from owning a Flipper Zero entirely. It's a legitimate tool that anyone can find use for without breaking the law, and people who were going to break the law by using one to hack into things were already, well, breaking the law.

The United States is taking great interest

The United States is already looking at the Flipper Zero with a questioning eye, though nothing has really been undertaken yet. Towards the end of 2022, US CBP seized 15,000 Flipper Zero devices before eventually releasing them, and a police bulletin shared in South Dakota claimed that Flipper Zero devices would be used by extremists. There hasn't been a ban on the Flipper Zero in the U.S. yet, though, and there aren't really any more reports of users having difficulty importing one.

Will anywhere else ban the Flipper Zero?

It doesn't seem likely

It doesn't seem like any other country will ban the Flipper Zero, and that's because, in itself, it's not a security risk. There's nothing wrong with it as a tool unless you have a problem with other tools as well, and all it does is make hacking accessible. Hacking has always been possible, and if the existence of the Flipper Zero strengthens the security around us, then that's a net win for everyone in the equation.

In fact, I think that the Canadian government walking back its attempt to ban the Flipper Zero outright is a sign that common sense will prevail when it comes to tools like these. They don't enable anyone to do anything outrageous like steal a car, but they do make it so that ordinary people should take their security more seriously.