OSINT DIY Gadgets: Surveillance Tools You Can Build at Home

7 min read · Just now

Published by H9 Team on July 27, 2025

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) is the art of collecting data from publicly available sources to derive insights — whether it’s mapping digital footprints, identifying patterns, or verifying real-world movements.

For the curious techie, OSINT investigator, and privacy-minded geek.

But here’s the twist: OSINT isn’t limited to keyboards and browsers. You can bring it into the physical world, crafting your own tools to gather data in creative, unexpected, and low-cost ways.

Forget Hollywood spy tech. We’re talking about DIY gadgets you can build at home using old phones, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and parts you might already have lying around. Whether you’re an investigator, a privacy researcher, or just a curious techie, this is the hands-on side of OSINT.

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🛠️ Why Go DIY for OSINT Tools?

Going DIY isn’t just about saving money. It’s about control, creativity, and capability.

💰 Affordable & Accessible: Build gadgets for a fraction of the cost of commercial surveillance gear.
🔧 Customization: Tailor tools exactly to your needs — no unnecessary features or vendor lock-in.
🎓 Learn by Building: Understand how the tech works, which makes you a smarter investigator.
🕵️ Anonymity: Commercial software often reports back to servers. DIY gives you full control over your data and tools.

🛠 3. Top DIY OSINT Gadgets You Can Build at Home

1️⃣ Raspberry Pi Surveillance Box

Use-case: Motion-activated camera trap for remote locations

Parts: Raspberry Pi 3/4, Pi Camera, PIR motion sensor, SD card
Software: MotionEyeOS or Python + OpenCV
How It Works: The PIR sensor detects motion, then triggers the Pi camera to record or take a snapshot.
OSINT Application: Great for watching a location, alleyway, or tracking people movements discreetly.

2️⃣ Wi-Fi Pineapple Clone (ESP32 + Arduino IDE)

Use-case: Fake Wi-Fi access point for collecting probe requests

Parts: ESP32 Dev Board, Arduino IDE, power bank
Software: WiFi Deauther firmware or custom ESP scripts
How It Works: The ESP32 creates rogue APs or scans nearby devices’ Wi-Fi probe requests (which contain SSIDs of previously joined networks).
OSINT Application: Track devices based on Wi-Fi behavior, identify users by their Wi-Fi history.

3️⃣ RF Signal Sniffer (RTL-SDR Rig)

Use-case: Scan RF spectrum for bugging devices or wireless communication

Parts: RTL-SDR dongle (~$25), laptop/Raspberry Pi
Software: GQRX, SDR#, rtl_433, CubicSDR
How It Works: RTL-SDR listens to frequencies between 25 MHz and 1.7 GHz.
OSINT Application: Detect wireless cameras, garage remotes, or RF-based bugs in the environment.

4️⃣ GSM Sniffer / Cell Logger

Use-case: Collect local GSM tower data to identify SIM card activity

Parts: SIM800L module, Arduino or ESP32, optional GPS
Software: GsmScan, AT Command parser
How It Works: SIM800L scans for nearby base stations and logs tower IDs, signal strengths.
OSINT Application: Map cell towers, locate target’s tower footprint, or detect fake base stations (IMSI catchers).

5️⃣ Portable Facial Recognition Unit

Use-case: Real-time facial recognition in the field

Parts: Raspberry Pi 4, camera module, power supply
Software: OpenCV + Face Recognition Python library
How It Works: Detect and compare faces against a known dataset.
OSINT Application: Spot persons of interest at events or public spaces.

6️⃣ BadSSD (Remote Payload Drive)

Use-case: Covertly access a remote device via disguised USB

Parts: Digispark USB or modified USB drive
Software: Rubber Ducky payloads or Arduino scripts
How It Works: Looks like a USB drive but acts like a keyboard that executes keystrokes/payloads.
OSINT Application: Drop on a target machine to extract browser history, network info, etc.

⚙️ Bonus Tools, Mods & Frankensteins

📡 1. Router + OpenWRT + Kismet → Rogue Wi-Fi AP / Sniffer

What it is: Turn an old router into a rogue access point that passively logs Wi-Fi traffic.

How it works: Install OpenWRT firmware and run Kismet to capture nearby devices’ MAC addresses, probe requests, and SSIDs.
Use Case: Great for testing Wi-Fi vulnerabilities, identifying nearby devices, or performing man-in-the-middle (MITM) simulations for research.

📱 2. Android Phone + Magnet + IP Cam Viewer → Magnetic Spy Camera

What it is: A covert surveillance camera using a discarded Android phone and magnetic mount.

How it works: Install an IP camera streaming app (like IP Webcam), attach a magnetic plate or case, and hide the phone behind metal or furniture.
Use Case: Stream live video discreetly. Ideal for quick drops in shared spaces or temporary surveillance in rental rooms.

🚁 3. Toy Drone + ESP32-CAM + FPV Mod → Budget Aerial Recon

What it is: A hacked toy drone outfitted with a streaming ESP32-CAM module for aerial video feeds.

How it works: Mount an ESP32-CAM module onto the drone’s frame and connect to an FPV receiver or Wi-Fi streaming server.
Use Case: Perform visual sweeps of rooftops, open fields, or property boundaries — low-budget, high-reward tactical recon.

🛜 4. Old Smartphone + Haven App → Mobile Intrusion Detection

What it is: A personal surveillance sensor using your phone’s built-in sensors.

How it works: Install Haven, which uses the camera, accelerometer, microphone, and light sensor to detect movement or changes.
Use Case: Place in a drawer or bag to detect tampering, or use as a standalone security monitor for rooms, safes, or hotel spaces.

⌚ 5. Smartwatch + Custom Firmware → Covert Wearable Recorder

What it is: A wrist-worn spy gadget hiding in plain sight.

How it works: Flash your smartwatch (e.g., Android-based or custom firmware devices) to enable background recording, photo capture, or voice memos without UI alerts.
Use Case: Covert audio or image capture during in-person interactions or events without drawing attention.

🔊 6. Alexa Dot + MITM Proxy Setup → IoT Network Analysis

What it is: A “friendly” home assistant turned data spy.

How it works: Intercept the Alexa’s traffic using a man-in-the-middle proxy (like mitmproxy or Wireshark) to inspect DNS, metadata, or cloud interactions.
Use Case: Learn what kind of telemetry your smart home devices are sending — useful for IoT OSINT or privacy testing.

🎵 7. Old MP3 Player + Mic Mod → Disguised Audio Recorder

What it is: A stealthy audio recorder embedded in a retro device.

How it works: Replace or piggyback the MP3 player’s input circuit with a mini microphone + amp circuit that records to flash storage.
Use Case: Ideal for low-suspicion environments like office desks or shared spaces where modern gadgets may draw attention.

💡 8. Laser Mic DIY → Read Window Vibrations with Light

What it is: A classic surveillance hack that turns a window into a microphone.

How it works: Aim a laser pointer at a reflective surface (like a window), bounce the beam back onto a photoresistor or photodiode, and amplify the signal using an audio circuit.
Use Case: Can capture voices from inside a room based on glass vibration patterns — advanced, experimental, and powerful.

📶 9. Bluetooth Beacon Trap with ESP32 → Log Devices Silently

What it is: A Bluetooth “honeypot” that lures nearby devices into connecting.

How it works: The ESP32 advertises itself as a legitimate Bluetooth device or beacon. Once phones connect, it logs identifiers like MAC addresses and timestamps.
Use Case: Identify or track Bluetooth-enabled targets in cafes, conferences, or public transit.

🪪 10. E-Ink Display Badge + QR Command & Control → Passive OSINT Badge

What it is: A conference badge or wearable that displays live QR payloads.

How it works: Use an E-Ink screen (like Waveshare) connected to a Pi Zero or ESP32 to show rotating QR codes linked to payloads, info drops, or command & control URLs.
Use Case: Share OSINT data subtly in public or use it as a passive signal carrier in social engineering scenarios.

💻 Top 10 Software & Scripts for DIY Surveillance Devices

Lightweight tools/scripts to deploy on devices above:

Kismet — Wireless network detector/sniffer/logging tool.
Pi-hole with Logging — Turn a Pi into a DNS sinkhole that logs outbound domain requests.
Wireshark CLI Mode (tshark) — For headless packet captures in remote devices.
OSINT-Collector Scripts — Scrapers for Instagram, Telegram, Twitter (non-API).
MotionEyeOS — Open-source surveillance OS for Raspberry Pi.
GQRX or SDR# — Visual RF spectrum analysis using RTL-SDR.
GsmScan + SIM800L Logger — Logs nearby cell towers for geolocation and signal intel.
WiFi-Pumpkin or Fluxion — Rogue AP attacks or captive portals.
Auto MAC Logger (Python + ESP32) — Logs MACs from probe requests, stores to SD card or pushes to server.
Face Recognition with OpenCV — Lightweight face matcher on Raspberry Pi or Android.

⚖️ 6. Legal and Ethical Use

A word of caution: OSINT is powerful — and so is surveillance. Use these tools responsibly, ethically, and legally.

✔️ ✅ Do:

Use for education, self-defense, research, investigative journalism.
Follow local laws and get consent when necessary.

❌ 🚫 Don’t:

Spy on neighbors or private individuals.
Violate wiretapping, privacy, or computer access laws.

Always document your use and intentions. If you’re unsure — don’t deploy.

We, the authors, are not responsible for any illegal actions you may take.

🔚 7. Conclusion: Build, Learn, Protect

The age of DIY intelligence is here. With just a Raspberry Pi and some curiosity, you can build your own surveillance lab — not to exploit, but to understand and defend against the systems that surround you.

Whether you’re a journalist tracking disinformation, an activist protecting your network, or just a hacker who likes building cool stuff — DIY OSINT gadgets are a fun, educational, and empowering way to explore surveillance in the modern world.

👁️ Build smart. Stay ethical. And always question the signals.