Hak5 Screen Crab: HDMI inspection for scoped physical tests

Product photo: Hak5

What it is

Screen Crab is Hak5’s HDMI inline tool aimed at viewing/recording what a target display is showing during authorised physical assessments. It is a visual-inspection aid, not a network implant.

What it is actually used for

• Physical exercises where display contents are in scope
• Demonstrating cable-path trust problems
• Evidence capture when clients authorise screen recording

Key specs and facts

• HDMI inline form factor (Hak5 Screen Crab product line)
• Designed for security auditing contexts per Hak5 positioning
• Confirm power/passthrough details on the live product page when sourcing

Who it suits / who should pick something else

Only with explicit physical + visual scope. Skip if your SOW is pure network testing.

Practical setup notes

• Label cables; HDMI path mistakes annoy everyone
• Encrypt evidence at rest
• Announce recording rules to the client team

How I talk about these tools locally

Most Sri Lankan companies I work with do not need a full Hak5 suitcase on day one. They need one or two devices tied to a written lesson or SOW, plus the discipline not to “just try it” on the office SSID. If you are building a teaching kit, write the learning outcome first (“show USB HID trust”, “show Ethernet dropbox risk”) and only then pick the SKU.

Legal and ethical use

Use these tools only on systems you own or systems covered by written authorisation. In Sri Lanka, unauthorised access to computer systems can engage the Computer Crimes Act No. 24 of 2007. This post is practical product guidance, not legal advice. If the use case is unclear, pause and get counsel.

FAQ

Legal issues?

Visual capture can be sensitive — get written scope.

4K/HDCP?

Verify against current Hak5 specs for your target displays.

vs camera?

Inline HDMI differs from a room camera — pick per SOW.

Sourcing?

Ask Dishan.

Interested in Sri Lanka?

ALFA does not currently stock this as a standard catalogue line, and I am not listing a local LKR price here. If you need it for authorised testing or training, message Dishan on WhatsApp at +94 75 255 0704 and ask about sourcing. Include a short note on the engagement or lab use case so the reply is useful.

Documentation habit

Whatever you buy, keep a folder with: purchase date, serial/MAC, firmware hash, and the engagement or class where it was last used. That habit matters more than owning every SKU on this list.

Field notes from teaching

I keep coming back to the same failure pattern: people buy the tool before they write the rule. If your team cannot explain, in one paragraph, which systems are in scope and who signed that scope, the device should stay in the cupboard. Sri Lankan SMEs especially benefit from small, boring kits — one radio, one HID trainer, one written lab SSID — used every month until the muscle memory sticks.

When you ask me about sourcing an item ALFA does not shelf as standard stock, say whether you need a single unit for a named test or a classroom set. Lead times and import paperwork differ. I will not invent a local VAT-inclusive price here for non-catalogue gear; we talk that through on WhatsApp with the vendor quote in hand.

Also budget time for detection. Every offensive demo should end with the control that would have made the demo fail: USB allow-listing, 802.1X on wall jacks, DHCP snooping, cable inventory, whatever fits. Tools without that closing loop turn into theatre.

Field notes from teaching

I keep coming back to the same failure pattern: people buy the tool before they write the rule. If your team cannot explain, in one paragraph, which systems are in scope and who signed that scope, the device should stay in the cupboard. Sri Lankan SMEs especially benefit from small, boring kits — one radio, one HID trainer, one written lab SSID — used every month until the muscle memory sticks.

When you ask me about sourcing an item ALFA does not shelf as standard stock, say whether you need a single unit for a named test or a classroom set. Lead times and import paperwork differ. I will not invent a local VAT-inclusive price here for non-catalogue gear; we talk that through on WhatsApp with the vendor quote in hand.

Also budget time for detection. Every offensive demo should end with the control that would have made the demo fail: USB allow-listing, 802.1X on wall jacks, DHCP snooping, cable inventory, whatever fits. Tools without that closing loop turn into theatre.