Tech

Meet Pwnagotchi, the rewarding, WiFi-eating pet

It’ll teach you about WiFi security and look cute doing it.

It’s cute, you can take it with you to your favorite coffee shop, and all the nourishment it needs is WiFi connections: the Pwnagotchi might just be the perfect pet. Oh, and it encourages hacking, if you’re into that.

A cute little hacker pet — Pwnagotchi is an open-source, DIY gadget that eats WiFi handshakes, the process that allows your devices to connect to routers and other internet-connected devices. It’s a little larger than a Tamagotchi, but it’ll still fit in your bag, and it has a cute ASCII-emoticon face that evolves to match its mood. The Pwnagotchi can even detect when a potential friend (another Pwnagotchi) is nearby.

It’s an ethical hacker, though — Though its technology has been embraced by professional hackers — little more than a month after its launch, there’s already a passionate community of them all over the world playing with it — the pet’s creators intend it to be a learning tool for anyone interested in understanding more about wireless security. Its creator, Simone Margaritelli, says the product’s main objective is to push vendors “for mass adoption of safer Wi-Fi technologies.”

Man’s new best friend? — Pwnagotchi is an inexpensive option for those looking to learn more about ethical hacking and WiFi security. It’s already shown itself to be great for third-party development, too, so its uses will only continue to expand in the future.