HackStar is an ethical hacking tool based on Raspberry Pi RP2040 or ESP32-S3 in a USB cable or dongle form factor for education, pentesters, and makers.
While the email I received claimed the HackStar was the “first-ever production-ready ethical hacking product on Kickstarter”, we’ve written about a range of hacking devices based on ESP8266, ESP32, and/or RP2040 microcontroller(s) such as the popular Flipper Zero, the BUG USB stick, nRFBOX V2 ESP32 wireless hacking tool, ESP32 Marauder Double Barrel, HackyPi USB adapter, and many others. What’s relatively new, or at least less common (see HackCable project), here is that the HackStar is also available as a USB Type-A to USB Type-C WiFi hacking cable…
HackStar Cable hardware specifications:
- Wireless SoC – Espressif Systems ESP32-S3 dual-core LX7 processor @ 240 MHz with 2.4 GHz WiFi 4 and Bluetooth LE/dual mode
- USB Type-A male connector
- USB Type-C male connector
- Length – TBD
HackStar USB dongle specifications:
- Wi-Fi Edition – ESP32-S3 SoC with WiFi 4 (and Bluetooth) as in the cable
- Core Edition
- SoC – Raspberry Pi RP2040 dual-core Cortex-M0+ MCU @ up to 133/200 MHz with 264 KB SRAM
- Storage – 2MB SPI flash
- USB – 1x USB Type-A male port
- Dimensions – Small USB dongle
We’re told the HackStar will be 100% open-source and auditable with the firmware source code, libraries, STL file, and example code to be made available after completion of the campaign. It’s also a subscription-free device family without hidden fees. The description specifically mentions support for C, C++, Python, MicroPython…
Like other hackable USB dongles (and cables), it supports HID emulation for keystrokes and mouse events, for instance, to be used as a computer logging key. It also handles remote command and control by running scripts and managing workflows remotely via secure, dedicated Wi-Fi tunneling, master-slave synchronization to link multiple Hackstar devices, wireless control (ESP32-S3 versions only), and more. You can see a short demo in the video below.
The Hackstar hacking device is now available via a Kickstarter campaign starting at $47 for the RP2040 dongle, $52 for the ESP32-S3 dongle, and $65 for the ESP32-S3 USB cable. It seems “hacking” devices are always many times their BoM cost due to their niche nature, and backers mainly pay for software/firmware support. Shipping appears to be included in the price, and deliveries are scheduled to start in January 2026, shortly after the campaign is over.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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