STM32 Sniffer for BLE Setup guide

1 Introduction

The STM32 Sniffer for Bluetooth® Low Energy is composed of two main parts:

  • The software part running on the computer: analyzes and displays packets.
  • The firmware part running on the STM32WB MCU: intercepts over the air packets.
System Architecture
System Architecture

Download the necessary files on the STM32 hotspot.

2 Minimum requirements

The following software and hardware parts are needed.

2.1 Hardware

At least one of these development boards is needed:

2.2 Software

Operating system:

  • Windows 10

Wireshark:

  • Version 4.0.3 or later
  • During the setup, accept the installation of Ncap.

Python:

  • Version 3.11.2 or later
  • Add Python to your path (you can select “Add Python to environment variable.” during setup).

PySerial:

  • Version 3.5 or later
  • Make sure that PySerial is installed on the correct version of Python if you have multiple installations. Use pip3 for example to force install on Python3.

3 Programming the board

There are two files to flash:

  • The sniffer application: stm32wb55_ble_sniffer_cm4_app_nucleo.hex or stm32wb55_ble_sniffer_cm4_app_dk.hex
  • The sniffer Bluetooth® LE wireless stack: stm32wb55_ble_sniffer_cm0_stack.bin

1. Install STM32CubeProgrammer

2. Update the wireless stack:

  • Use the stm32wb55_ble_sniffer_cm0_stack.bin file at the start address: 0x080CE000.
  • Follow the part 3.2 of the tutorial to learn how to update the wireless stack.

3. Flash the application firmware:

  • Use the stm32wb55_ble_sniffer_cm4_app_nucleo.hex or stm32wb55_ble_sniffer_cm4_app_dk.hex file.
  • Follow the part 3.3 of the tutorial to learn how to flash the application firmware.

4 Installing Wireshark plugins

Launch Wireshark:

puce1.png
Click on the Help menu.
puce2.png
Click on About Wireshark to open a new window.
puce3.png
Select the Folders tab.
puce4.png
Double click on the Personal Extcap path and Personal Lua Plugins to open the corresponding locations in the file explorer.
Finding the Wireshark plugins directories
Connectivity Sniffer Finding Directories.png

4.1 Installing the plugins

  • Copy the st_ble_sniffer_dissector.lua file into your Wireshark Personal Lua Plugins folder.
  • Copy the st_ble_sniffer.py and st_ble_sniffer.bat files into your Wireshark Personal Extcap path folder.

Your folders should look like this:

Plugins folders
Connectivity Sniffer Copying Plugins.png
  • Open a command prompt in your Personal Extcap path folder.
  • Run: st_ble_sniffer.bat --extcap-interfaces

You should have an output similar to this:

Verifying that the extcap plugin runs
Connectivity Sniffer Verifying Extcap.png
  • Make sure that the board with the sniffer firmwares is plugged, and that no other programs use the com port such as the serial terminal.
  • In Wireshark, refresh the capture interfaces list:
puce1.png
Click on the Capture menu.
puce2.png
Click on Refresh Interfaces.
Verifying extcap plugin can run in Wireshark
Connectivity Sniffer Refresh.png

You should now see the STM32WB sniffer interface like this:

Verifying that extcap plugin runs in Wireshark
Connectivity Sniffer Verifying Extcap Wireshark.png

4.2 Installing the profile

In Wireshark:

puce1.png
Click on the Help menu.
puce2.png
Click on About Wireshark to open a new window.
puce3.png
Select the Folders tab.
puce4.png
Double click on Personal configuration to open the corresponding location in the file explorer.
Finding the Wireshark profiles directory
Connectivity Sniffer Finding Directories 2.png

Copy the ST_BLE_Sniffer_profile folder into your Wireshark Personal configuration/profiles folder.

Your folder should look like this:

Verifying that extcap plugin runs in Wireshark
Connectivity Sniffer Copying Profile.png

5 Configuring Wireshark

5.1 Enabling the sniffer profile

In Wireshark:

puce1.png
Click on the Edit menu.
puce2.png
Click on Configuration Profiles... to open a new window.
puce3.png
Select the ST_BLE_Sniffer_profile .
puce4.png
Click on OK.
Enabling the profile
Connectivity Sniffer Enabling Profile.png

5.2 Enabling the interface toolbar

Open Wireshark:

puce1.png
Click on the View menu.
puce2.png
Click on Interface Toolbars.
puce3.png
Enable the STM32WB interface.
Enabling the interface toolbar
Connectivity Sniffer Enabling Toolbar.png

This toolbar should be visible:

Interface toolbar
Connectivity Sniffer Toolbar.png

5.3 Testing

Double click on the STM32WB sniffer interface to launch the capture.

Verifying that extcap plugin runs in Wireshark
Connectivity Sniffer Verifying Extcap Wireshark.png

If advertising packets are visible like in the graphic below, it means that the installation of the STM32 Sniffer for Bluetooth® Low Energy is successful.

Verifying the installation
Connectivity Sniffer TestOK.png

Refer to the user guide to learn more about how to use the sniffer.



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