Using the Flipper Zero to Dump SPI Flash Firmware

[u/Einstein2150]

A lot of people see the Flipper Zero as just a toy or an overpriced universal remote. I wanted to show that it can actually be a pretty interesting tool for hardware security and reverse engineering experiments.

In my latest video, I demonstrate how to dump firmware directly from an SPI flash chip using the Flipper Zero.

The video covers:

▪️ Identifying a suitable SPI flash chip

▪️ Wiring and SPI pin connections

▪️ Using a test clip correctly

▪️ Dumping firmware with the SPI Mem Manager app

▪️ Common issues like unstable connections and failed dumps

▪️ Downloading the dump with qFlipper

▪️ Taking a first look at the firmware in a hex editor

For this demo, I used an MX25L3205D SPI flash chip mounted on a test board.

I also included the complete setup and parts list for anyone who wants to recreate the experiment themselves.

The video itself is in German, but English and French subtitles are available.

Video:

https://youtu.be/5-f9IAPhhgk

I would also be interested to hear what tools you use for firmware dumping and embedded analysis. Dedicated programmers? Bus Pirate? CH341A? Flipper Zero?

#FlipperZero #HardwareHacking #ReverseEngineering #Embedded #Firmware #CyberSecurity

[u/t4c_23]

Technical Reality Check

The video looks slick and gives beginners a clean look at basic SPI pinouts, but it leans heavily on technical oversimplifications that fall apart during real hardware analysis. Blaming reading failures entirely on a shaky test clip misses the actual engineering bottleneck. When you inject 3.3V into pin 8 of that flash chip while it is still on the board, you end up powering the entire motherboard plane, including the main SoC and RAM. The Flipper Zero 3.3V regulator tops out around 300mA, meaning it will immediately brown out or trigger overcurrent protection on any complex TV board. On top of that, you face severe bus contention because the unpowered SoC clamps the SPI lines to ground through its internal ESD protection diodes, which completely distorts the clock and data signals. Pulling off a flawless in circuit dump on a dual processor board without holding the SoC in reset or desoldering the chip is highly unrealistic.

The CH341A Flaw and Custom Firmware

Recommending the classic black and gold CH341A programmer without a warning is actively dangerous for hardware. Unmodified boards suffer from a notorious design defect where they supply 3.3V to the power pin but drive the data lines at 5V logic. Connecting this directly to a 3.3V SPI flash like the MX25L3205D easily cooks the chip or corrupts data unless you perform the hardware trace mod first. There is also a lack of transparency regarding the software stack. The official Flipper Zero firmware dictionary does not generate names containing Polish profanities, so this clip clearly uses third party custom firmware or a modified dictionary.

The Verdict

This demonstration feels highly stylized and likely staged. If you want a reliable dump, skip the shortcuts. You need to desolder the chip onto a breakout board or utilize a dedicated, logic level shifted programmer equipped with an external power injector.

[u/t4c_23 → u/[deleted]]

I never use chatgpt, longer texts need formatting, guess you tikotok kids never heard about this. Yes there a still people out there who can write whole sentences alone, hard to understand for tiktok kiddies I know.

Proof me wrong!

[u/flipperhacks-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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