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CyberSecDeck-001

A Cyberdeck project for InfoSec field work.

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CyberSecDeck-001 is a mobile platform for hacking tools and doubles as server-room crash-cart

I do a lot of cybersecurity work, as well as general server ops/admin work, so having a Linux machine handy to run infosec tools on, that can double as a keyboard, mouse, and screen when I need to physically tinker with another machine was something I’d wanted for a long while. Whilst there ares pre-built options but I wanted to inject a bit of drama if I needed to use it in a presentation.

so, I set myself certain requirements/restrictions:

- No folding screen (too much like a laptop)
- No touchscreens (too much like a tablet)
- Must have a physical keyboard
- Must be portable
- Must be robust
- As few moving parts as possible
- Must be actually work
- Must have some kind of modular expansion to intergrate other infoSec gizmos I had around.
- Must be easily adapted to new parts 
- Must be built with spare parts I already owed, could find second hand, or have cheaper off-brand alternatives.

I wanted this to look and feel like something serviceable that could have been fabricated in a back room, in a a cyberpunk novel.

I also wanted the case design to be easily adapatable to be able to sized up and down for future projects and be abel to fit other SBCs.


I had a good selection of parts laying around already (I’m a professional nerd and can rarely bring myself to throw away a cable or peripheral that could be conceivably still be useful).  
I had a Raspberry Pi 4 that wasn’t getting much love, and a Vortex Core 40% keyboard kicking around that I’ve not really used since the start of the pandemic.

The main thing I was missing was a screen, but a few minutes on AliExpress fixed that. You can pick up a cheap 8.8inch 480x1920 screen on AliExpress or Ebay pretty cheap. They all generally use the same USB power and mini-HDMI connections, so they’re compact and just what I was looking for.

Add to that a cheap USB touchpad, that had been gathering dust, and a Raspberry Pi UPS battery pack, and we were good to get started on the case design.

I knew I wanted the case to have an asymetric handle like the decks in Shadowrun and have that interestingly angled shape.

After a few prototypes I decided on taking a modular approach to the casing to ease of printing, strength, and quick iteration.

The idea became to have a sturdy lower case with vents and plenty of standard spaced screw holes, and a simple rectangle for a top panel that I could put holes in for the ports. So if I ever wanted to move the ports around or use the same case for something else I’d just need to print up an new top panel and screw it in place.  
MUCH quicker and MUCH easier to print.


(An Early Prototype )


I also wanted to easily attach and remove a carry sling, and extra modules (Like a DStrike or Flipper Zero). Rather than integrating them into the main body of the deck, I opted to just add picatinny rails on both sides. The rails meant I could build standardised mounts for different modules and also use a whole world of existing off-the-shelf slings, stands, and grips.  
I was little worried it would come across as “tacticool” but in Neuromancer the first cyberdecks were described as being made for the military, so that sort of thing would kinda be in keeping with the design ethos.

I added the D-bars on top, partly for the rack-mounted feel, and also to protect the screen and keyboard; the bars are the highest point on the deck (and can be adjusted), so you can stack thing on top of it if needed.  They're also useful for tying on any extra cables I might need while working.
The bars themselves are just U-shaped cupboard handles.

With a finalised design, it was time to print the ‘production’ case


After some testing I opted to go with a PiJuice module for power management and as big a Li-Ion battery as I could fit in the case. The battery was one part I bought new and brand-name for this project, because you absolutely DO NOT skimp on the part mostly likely to explode or catch fire!

I...

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  • 1 × Raspberry Pi 4 8GB version
  • 1 × PiJuice to handle power management
  • 1 × 12,000mAh Lithium Ion Battery
  • 1 × 8.8inch 480x1980 screen
  • 1 × Vortex Core 40% keybaord

View all 17 components

  • Customisation

    Garra5 days ago 0 comments

    One thing I wanted to achieve with this cyberdeck was a reusable case design that could be quickly kitbashed together with standard 3D printing software. To make it easy for soneone to take available componants and easily make a case to mount them in.

    WIth everyone's needs being different and specific (My use case was server maintainence nad cyber security) it seemed like it would be nice to have a, low-cost, portable solution for people to adapt to their own tech and size needs.

    So here's a bit more detail on how I saw that happening:

    To make a case you have 4 basic parts:
    - The Handle

    - The Middle


    - The End-cap


    - The Top plate: This is just a 3mm thick rectangle sized to fit the however you have configued the previous sections. Being a basic rectangle, it's easy & quick to print, and simple to cut holes in for ports, or keyboards, or whatever. "Rapid prototyping" was what I had in mind for this part.


    The idea is for someone to duplicate, flip, and mirror these parts to make a case that fits their needs. The preset holes shou;d make it easy to mount most SBCs and their accessories, with minimal tinkering. and whatever way you assemble the parts will result in the usable rail mounting system tessellating correctly down the full length.


View project log

  • 1
    Main chassis Fabrication

    Print the main chassis in as few parts as possible with a maximum infill, to ensure structual strength.
    I printed mine on an Anycubic Mega X and was was able to print it in only 2 sections and used epoxy glue to secure the parts toghter.

  • 2
    Install the threaded inserts

    Around the open top of the case are a series of holes in which to install the threaded inserts.

    Position the threaded insert above the hole, with a pair of pliers, then insert the tip of a soldering iron into the threaded insert. Gently press down until the insert is flush with the casing.

    Repeat for all the holes around the open side of the case.

  • 3
    Install power port

    Attach the USB-C extention cable to the provided mounting point in the end cap, on the left side.

    This will connect to the PiJiuce module to act as the power port

View all 12 instructions

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Discussions

ScriptedAnarchy wrote 08/28/2023 at 14:33 point

You know what would be absolutely nuts?

If some strange hoe opted to build one of these using resin instead of filament.

Granted, that hoe would need a pretty sizable resin printer... say, a photon max m3...

And a lot of resin, very limited sanity or sense, and a sizable budget to throw at the project.

Sincerely, the hoe who has a max m3, zero common sense, and loves this design.

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Garra wrote 08/29/2023 at 18:14 point

ooooh! I'd love to see what you come up with if you do. That sounds like a LOT of goop XD

If I can help at all, don't hesitate to message me :)

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Sp4m wrote 07/26/2023 at 23:08 point

Phenomenal build! 

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Taylor Hay wrote 07/20/2023 at 22:47 point

this is great! It’s the archetypal cyberdeck, and really well executed. I love the picatinny rails - great solution 

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zyndram wrote 07/20/2023 at 12:21 point

- Must be portable

?? how many weeks this device work in portable mode?

  Are you sure? yes | no

Garra wrote 07/20/2023 at 17:25 point

For me, it gets about a day of power with standard use. But you could easily swap out the Pi4 for a PiZero and get weeks of power from the onboard powerpack. The screen tends to be the biggest power draw so a bit of refinement there would really help the battery life.

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zyndram wrote 07/22/2023 at 09:21 point

please make a real test

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Smeef wrote 07/19/2023 at 14:11 point

Magnificent! Love the Flipper and multiple display options, especially the Nreal/Xreal Air.

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Matthew H wrote 07/18/2023 at 15:52 point

This thing looks sick...almost have me ready to throw in the towel and I've barely started. :)

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Garra wrote 07/19/2023 at 19:30 point

Thanks! I'm really interested to see where you go with your project i kinda love that tapedeck formfactor. I'm slooooowly working on something inspired by those portable tapesdecks myself; though mine isn't a cyberdeck :)

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Craig Hissett wrote 07/10/2023 at 21:43 point

I absolutely love this!

I really like the concept of a cyberdeck, but this is the first one I've really, really wanted to mimic. I like the concept of it being usable as a standalone keyboard/mouse for external devices, and I also enjoy the mounting options for extra screens or other devices.

Great project.

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