Frieren: Open Source WiFi Pineapple Alternative
If you clicked on this article you’ve probably heard of the WiFi Pineapple before. For those who don’t know the WiFi Pineapple is a router-like wireless audit and pentesting platform (you can read more about it on the Hak5 Website). But the Pineapple isn’t our main focus today, it’s Frieren.
⚠️Warning⚠️: xchwarze, Frieren’s creator, has not stated that this project is a replacement or alternative to the WiFi Pineapple. All of the following is my own opinion.
What is Frieren
In a nutshell, Frieren, created by xchwarze, is a framework used to develop and run security tools on single board computers, routers, or anything that runs the OpenWRT platform. It comes with an intuitive web frontend, letting you use it on anything with a browser, and community built modules to expand its functions.
Who is Frieren For
Although it is never stated, I believe the framework is for those looking for something similar to the WiFi Pineapple, but don’t want to pay the premium that Hak5 charges. There are plenty of cheap wifi routers on Amazon or other online retailers. Portable ones with 2 or more adapters may be more expensive but are still much more affordable than the Pineapple.
Apart from the cheaper prices, there are other benefits as well. By using off the shelf consumer hardware, it’s much harder to spot a router running Frieren. This is much better for covert operations, where the iconic WiFi Pineapple can easily be spotted.
Since the project is open source, every little part can be tweaked to your delight, the UI, API, framework, or anything else you desire.
The Future of Frieren
Frieren is not the first of its kind. There have been many similar projects like Fruity WiFi or WiFi Pumpkin that tried to match the versatility of the WiFi Pineapple. These alternatives either died after a while or were missing an important feature.
But I think Frieren has a bright future ahead. Although the framework is still in its infancy (as of the writing of this article), the idea has potential. There are no compromises in the plan and the wide range of hardware support will give it a leg up. With enough development, Frieren will likely surpass the WiFi Pineapple in popularity and versatility.
Conclusion
I’m not a prophet, and my predictions could be wrong. But there are real reasons to believe in the Frieren project. If you’re just interested in a Pineapple alternative, maybe try it out when it’s more polished and ready. But if you’re as excited as I am, use it now and help out with the development!
