Locked Case or Enclosure for RPi

[Lienetic]

Does anyone have recommendations for a locked case or enclosure to put a Raspberry Pi 4 that does not block radios like WiFi and/or has space for antennae? Preferably one with a small profile and not too expensive.

I am planning on deploying a few Pis in an external environment (indoors) for a prototype test and I am looking to have some basic physical security that doesn't break the bank. I recognize that physical access means root access to a motivated, technical party and that something like this could be broken with a saw, hammer, etc. I'm mostly looking for a short-term physical deterrent to the curious individual (in addition to software measures like full-disk encryption). Given the scope of this as a short-term prototype test, it's not a realistic option right now to install this inside a wall or anything like that.

Thanks!

[embeddedbarsha]

Have you seen in pi hut? Here are the Raspberry pi cases they have:

https://thepihut.com/collections/raspberry-pi-cases

[stevend]

There are many small lockable electrical enclosures; often made of steel, but some available in insulating materials, which are what you would need.

Keys may be a simple 'meter box' triangular type, or proper keys.

This list, for example (not all are lockable).

[ame]

Put one in your country's mains electrical box, with a blanking plate (no switch or electrical outlet). They're everywhere, so an additional one won't look odd, other than the thin power cable to the USB PSU.

Or just put them in a plain box out of the way (cheap project box from your local electronics store). If it can't be seen then no-one will be curious about it.

[hippy]

I have often used plastic toy safes and money boxes to put things in. They come in a variety of sizes while a hacksaw and glue can make them lower profile.

They are hardly secure but the rotary dial isn't as easy to crack as it looks. Some also have an actual key lock.

Router, hub, and similar cases are also useful for repurposing. I have also used "ShowBox" photo viewers.

[cleverca22]

I have often used plastic toy safes and money boxes to put things in. They come in a variety of sizes while a hacksaw and glue can make them lower profile.

They are hardly secure but the rotary dial isn't as easy to crack as it looks. Some also have an actual key lock.

that reminds me, i still have an old toy safe with a digital keypad and changable codes

but i discovered that if you simply drop it at the right angle, the door pops open, lol

make sure to test the door on whatever case you have, and see if its secure enough for your needs

[trejan]

If it isn't a hostile environment and you want low cost then buy a regular Pi case that uses screws and put anti-tamper labels over the screw holes. If you want to make it more annoying then swap the screws for security screws. They're not hard to open but it'll need a security screwdriver set.

[hippy]

Thinking about it, the most secure box is probably the one which no one suspects has a Pi inside it. One of those box-syle picture frames, wall lights, table lamps, clocks, or 'art work', might do the job.

You can cut some MDF to size, glue a magazine picture on the front and job done, 'cheap as chips'. Add something which looks like it's a down-light or up-light and no one will question why it's got mains wire coming from it.

Raspberry Pi's ex-cop in residence, Toby Roberts, who used Raspberry PI kit to spy on people of interest, probably has some tips for using a Raspberry Pi board covertly.

[Lienetic]

These are all great ideas, thank you all! I'm thinking a non-descript case that just makes it look like a black box + maybe security screws with anti-tamper tape might be the way to go. It probably goes a long way to just make it look like a boring box that doesn't attract much interest, though a lock would make everyone feel a bit better

Does Toby Roberts visit these forums? I'd love his take!

[hippy]

Does Toby Roberts visit these forums? I'd love his take!

I am not sure I have seen him post to the forum but he can probably be contacted through Raspberry Pi, MagPi, Twitter, Mastodon, LinkedIn etc

https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/meet-r ... by-roberts

I'm a little surprised, having got their hands on someone with experience of covert Pi, there hasn't been a MagPi article on that. A few users have expressed an interest in using Pi in public places and not wanting to have them identified or stolen.

a lock would make everyone feel a bit better

But does it merely offer a false sense of security ?

If I were going to steal a Pi or similar from a public place I would just take it, and any box it were in, deal with getting it opened at my leisure.

If it were chained to to a ceiling or some surface I would get a ladder, don a day-glo jacket and hard-hat, ask a member of the public if they would kindly hold and steady the ladder while I used chain cutters and a crowbar to remove it.

I still believe security through obscurity does work best in preventing theft, that there's little reason anyone would steal something unless they believed it was worth stealing. It's the old "don't put a burglar alarm box on your house if it will be the only one in the street".

There may not be a Spin e-scooter anywhere which hasn't been broken open and had its Pi removed by now. For over two years no one even suspected they might contain a Pi.

The questions are; what would make someone think it's worth stealing, how would they do that, and how would you prevent them doing that ?

You probably can't prevent theft so encrypting data as you proposed is likely the best approach should it be stolen.