Oct 6, 2025
·
9 min read
Introdution
We are living in what can only be described as the Cyber for Dummies Era - a time when launching a cyber or privacy attack no longer requires expertise, resources, or training.
With a few clicks and a modest budget, anyone who comes to a campus or facility can access tools that once belonged exclusively to professional hackers and government agencies.
From Wi-Fi exploit kits and penetration-testing software to hidden cameras disguised as everyday objects, proximity attacks have become plug-and-play.
The result is a new kind of threat landscape, where accessibility - not sophistication - defines risk.
“Adversaries exploit legitimate access to campuses or facilities...
Commercially available technologies have made it easier than ever.”
FBI Strategy Brief - June 2025 (UTS / Tier 1 Threat)
That official statement echoes what we observe in the field: the tools that once protected networks are now easily repurposed to attack them. And in the proximity domain, the difference between a visitor, a contractor, or an attacker has never been thinner.
Plug-and-play tools: cheap, available, and dangerously easy to use
What used to require specialized knowledge and expensive hardware is now accessible to anyone with a credit card and an internet connection.
Common examples include:
HackRF-class radios and multi-protocol devices - small radios that can read, clone, or manipulate wireless signals.
Flipper-type multi-tools - handheld devices that emulate credentials or access systems via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or RFID.
Hidden cameras and recorders disguised as chargers, alarm clocks, smoke detectors, or even bottles - marketed as home-security gadgets.
Consumer routers easily reconfigured into rogue access points for “evil-twin” Wi-Fi attacks.
Penetration-testing distributions such as Kali Linux or Parrot OS - legitimate software packages originally built for ethical hackers, now freely downloaded and misused for offensive attacks.
RF jammers available online for a few dollars, capable of disrupting connectivity across an entire floor or building.
These tools are cheap, widely available, and come with detailed YouTube tutorials.
Pen-test tools in the wrong hands
The most concerning aspect of this era is that many of these tools are dual-use: they are designed for legitimate cybersecurity testing, yet can be easily abused for malicious purposes.
There is virtually no regulation or enforcement over who buys or uses them.
A single search for “Wi-Fi testing kit” or “RF toolkit” online yields pages of professional-grade tools sold openly to anyone.
They are marketed as security aids - but in the wrong hands, they become simple, powerful weapons of intrusion.
The same applies to consumer “home security” devices: cameras sold for safety are increasingly used to spy, record, and violate privacy in offices, hotels, and public facilities.
The intent may change, but the technology stays the same.
Real-world incidents show how low the bar has become
We’ve seen cases where people with no cyber background cause serious harm using tools anyone can buy:
A maintenance worker installed a rogue access point that mimicked the official Wi-Fi at a prestigious visitor facility. Over 150 guests connected to it, unknowingly sharing their data.
A passenger on a commercial flight used a small Wi-Fi kit to impersonate the plane’s onboard network, capturing credentials and browsing sessions mid-flight.
A hobbyist with HackRF hardware performed deauthentication attacks in an office, forcing users to reconnect to his rogue network.
Hidden cameras bought on popular e-commerce platforms were found recording in restrooms and meeting rooms - marketed as “home security,” used instead for invasion of privacy.
Downloaded Kali Linux distributions have been used by individuals inside campuses to run Wi-Fi and Bluetooth exploits - often from personal laptops.
These are not high-end operations.
They are ordinary people using commercial tools for malicious intent - proof that accessibility has replaced expertise as the primary threat factor.
Why it’s almost impossible to detect
Traditional security systems simply aren’t built for this.
Proximity-based threats don’t appear in standard network logs, and they blur the line between the digital and physical realms.
Four main factors explain why detection is so hard:
Off-network operation - many attack tools store data locally or use cellular channels that bypass enterprise visibility.
Legitimate-looking behavior - rogue Wi-Fi devices, smart watches, or Bluetooth sensors often mimic normal traffic patterns.
Signal overload - thousands of devices coexist in the same airspace, creating noise that hides anomalies.
Organizational gap - CISOs manage digital risk; CSOs handle physical safety. Proximity threats fall between them - owned by neither, managed by no one.
As a result, most proximity incidents are found by coincidence - not through structured monitoring or SOC alerting.
The scale of the problem
Public reports describe hundreds of proximity-related incidents worldwide, yet marketplaces sell millions of relevant devices every year.
From hidden cameras and Wi-Fi exploit kits to Flipper-type tools and RF jammers - the gap between sales and detection numbers shows how much remains invisible.
The truth is simple:
We don’t see the full scale because we don’t have the visibility.
The impact is real and measurable
Proximity attacks create direct and measurable harm:
Privacy violations - hidden recording in restrooms, dressing rooms, or meeting rooms.
Credential theft - intercepted Wi-Fi logins and session hijacking.
Intellectual property loss - confidential discussions and designs recorded without awareness.
Operational disruption - RF interference halting wireless systems.
Unauthorized access - cloned badges or wireless credentials used to enter restricted areas.
Reputational and legal consequences - privacy lawsuits, regulatory violations, and loss of trust.
These are no longer fringe risks. They are daily realities in hotels, airports, corporate campuses, and public facilities worldwide.
The only effective approach - visibility, context, and coordination
Defending against proximity attacks is not just a matter of signal detection; it’s about context.
Organizations must know who each device belongs to, where it is physically located, and whether its behavior fits the space and time.
That requires a combination of:
Continuous airspace monitoring across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RF channels.
Behavioral analytics to identify abnormal activity.
Precise localization to guide on-site response.
Integration with access logs, visitor systems, and facility data.
Unified workflows bridging cyber and physical teams.
Without these, proximity attacks will remain invisible until after the damage is done.
PASM – the holistic solution
Proximity Attack Surface Management (PASM) is the first framework built specifically to address this challenge.
It provides continuous monitoring of the organization’s airspace, detects abnormal or out-of-context device behavior, and helps locate and mitigate threats before they escalate.
By merging cybersecurity, physical security, and privacy management into one operational domain, PASM turns invisible proximity activity into a manageable, auditable attack surface.
Final word – The “Cyber for Dummies” reality is here
The tools are cheap, the knowledge is public, and the barrier to attack is gone.
We are no longer asking if these attacks will happen – we are asking when, and who will notice first.
Without unified visibility, organizations will continue to detect proximity attacks by accident.
With PASM, they can finally detect them by design – and turn proximity from a blind spot into a controlled, protected domain.
Pryvaxy
Redefining Proximity Security.
