Hack a Sony SMP into a security applicance?
 

Has anyone ever tried this?

I have a pretty new Sony SMP-N200 network media player that just wasn't up to snuff for streaming my videos and so forth on the server (not compatible with enough formats) so I replaced it with a PC.

I've heard of people telneting into these little boxes or otherwise getting under the hood, and hacking them to repurpose the device.

I was thinking of building a dedicated security box to run some combination like Smoothwall or Endian, Snort, and Squid (alternative suggestions welcome) to put on the edge of my little network along with the current OpenDNS config I am using. I dismissed the idea at first because I didn't want another tower running around the clock and running up my electric bill (see my sigfile). The miniscule power used by the SMP-N200 seems much more feasible.

Does anyone have some tips or know of a writeup on hacking the SMP-N200? It's pretty new so I wasn't surprised when I didn't find much in a cursory web search.

TIA,

J

As an alternative, you can run m0n0wall or pfSense also on similar small embedded systems.

Before I would sue such a device for a security appliance I would consider the source and the original purpose. I admit to not being familiar with the device in question, but given Sony's past behaviour I would be extremely cautious about using a device of theirs that may be accessed remotely. Personally I'd rather grab a small mITX board with an Atom or such on it for the purpose.