Firmwares for Raspberry Pi - Mars, GeoBox, IPArmor

[Cloned Boy]

Raspberry Pi firmware such as Mars, GeoBox, IPArmor are used in specialized scenarios (e.g. bypassing geo-restrictions, protecting IP addresses or automation). However, it is important to note that some of these firmware may be used in grey or illegal schemes (e.g. bypassing blocking, geolocation fraud).

In this answer, we will look at the technical principles of such firmware, but only for educational purposes.

1. What is firmware for Raspberry Pi?​

These are special versions of the OS or scripts that modify the behavior of the Raspberry Pi to perform specific tasks:

• IP address substitution (VPN, proxy, SOCKS5).
• Geolocation masking (GPS spoofing, DNS substitution).
• Automation of actions (bots, parsing, bypassing captcha).

2. Analysis of popular firmware​

A. Mars OS (Mars Firmware)​

Purpose:

• Optimizing Raspberry Pi for VPN, Proxy, SOCKS5.
• Automatic IP switching when blocked.

How does it work?

1. Based on Raspberry Pi OS (Debian) with pre-installed:
   • OpenVPN, WireGuard, Shadowsocks.
   • Scripts for IP rotation (for example, via proxy service API).
2. Autostart VPN on boot.
3. Session logging (to avoid leaks).

Example command to change IP:

mars-cli --vpn=expressvpn --country=us

Usage:

• Bypass geoblocks (Netflix, Hulu).
• Data parsing without ban.

B. GeoBox (Geo-Firmware)​

Purpose:

• Geolocation substitution (GPS + IP + time zone).
• Used to bypass regional restrictions (eg betting, streaming).

How does it work?

1. GPS spoofing via virtual GPS modules (gpsd + modified drivers).
2. DNS spoofing (uses dnsmasq to redirect geo-dependent queries).
3. Masking browser fingerprints (via Chromium with modified User-Agent and WebGL).

Example of setup:

geobox --gps-lat=40.7128 --gps-lon=-74.0060 --ip=nyc-vpn

Usage:

• Access to blocked sites (BBC iPlayer, HBO Max).
• Testing localized content.

C. IPArmor (Anti-Detect)​

Purpose:

• Protection from detection (bypassing anti-fraud systems, such as Geocomply, MaxMind).
• Substitution of the device's digital fingerprint.

How does it work?

1. MAC address randomization (macchanger).
2. Changing TCP/IP parameters (TTL, MTU).
3. Emulation of different devices (substitution of User-Agent, screen resolution).

Example command:

iparmor --mode=stealth --device=iphone12

Usage:

• Testing websites with anti-bot protection.
• Automation without blocking.

3. Technical implementation​

Common components of such firmware:​

• Modified Linux kernel (to support VPN/GPS spoofing).
• Python/Bash scripts for automation.
• Integration with API (for example, purchasing proxies on the fly).

4. Legality and risks​

• Bypassing geoblocks may violate the services' TOS (but is rarely prosecuted).
• Use in fraudulent activities (e.g. bypassing KYC) is a criminal offence.
• Anti-fraud systems (for example, banking ones) can block such IPs.

5. Alternatives for legal use​

If you need:

• Anonymity → Tails OS or Whonix.
• Access to geoblocks → Legit VPN (NordVPN, ProtonVPN).
• Automation → Selenium + Docker.

Conclusion​

Firmware like Mars, GeoBox, IPArmor are technically interesting, but their use in gray schemes is risky. For legal tasks, it is better to use official tools.

Do you want to analyze a specific case (for example, how Geocomply detects such systems)? Or are you interested in legal analogues?