For a detailed look at implemented features vs. original hardware capabilities, see FEATURES.md.

The Open Firmware successor for GNARBOX 2.0 Hardware.

OpenGNARBOX is a specialized software stack designed to replace the proprietary firmware on GNARBOX 2.0 (x86_64) devices. It transforms the device into a robust, secure, and fully source-available backup and organization tool for professional photographers and videographers.

Following the bankruptcy of MyGnar Inc., the original GNARBOX hardware was left without official support, potentially turning thousands of high-end field backup devices into e-waste. Furthermore, analysis of the original proprietary firmware revealed significant security gaps and architectural vulnerabilities.

OpenGNARBOX was born out of a necessity to provide a secure, sustainable, and transparent alternative that puts the hardware back in the hands of its owners, released as a source-available project.

• Fail-Safe Ingestion: Automated backup from SD to NVMe with SHA-256 verification.
• Professional Organization: Smart pattern-based file organization with deep deduplication.
• Secure by Design: Strict path validation and session-based downloads to prevent system escape.
• Modern Web UI: Responsive, mobile-friendly interface for field use.
• Hardware Integration: Real-time monitoring of SSD storage, battery levels, and mount status.

OpenGNARBOX is built with a decoupled, containerized architecture:

A lightweight, high-performance FastAPI (Python) server optimized for the device hardware.

• Improved Performance: Minimal overhead allows for significantly faster file operations and indexing than the original firmware.
• App-Free Access: No proprietary mobile app is required; the full experience is accessible via any modern web browser.
• Orchestrates file operations (copy, move, delete, hash).
• Monitors system status (battery, storage).
• Enforces security through a sandboxed path validation engine.
• Serves the compiled frontend assets.

A professional-grade React (TypeScript) web application.

• Explorer-like file browser with multi-file management.
• Real-time progress monitoring via WebSockets.
• Intelligent organization rules and naming transformation.

The easiest way to run OpenGNARBOX is using Docker Compose.

1. Clone the repository
2. Start the stack

   docker-compose up -d

3. Access the UI Open your browser and navigate to http://localhost:8000.

To run without requiring hardware mounts:

docker-compose -f docker-compose.test.yml up

OpenGNARBOX prioritizes the safety of your data:

• Path Validation: All API requests are checked against authorized media mount points (/media/sd, /media/nvme).
• Session-Based Downloads: Prevents URI length limitations and secures multi-file ZIP generation.
• Atomic Operations: Verification occurs before source deletion in "Move" mode.

The backend is located in the /backend directory. It uses Python 3.11+.

cd backend
pip install -r requirements.txt
uvicorn main:app --reload

The frontend is located in the /importool directory.

cd importool
npm install
npm run dev

OpenGNARBOX is an independent source-available project and is not affiliated with the original GNARBOX manufacturer.

This project is the intellectual property of CyberTap IT & Security / Dominik W. Feger. Use, modification, and redistribution are restricted under a custom proprietary license.

See LICENSE for full terms.

Parts of this project have been developed using AI-assisted coding tools. However, every line of code has been manually reviewed and verified by a human developer to ensure it adheres to best practices, security standards, and system integrity. This is not an AI slop project.

© 2026 CyberTap IT & Security / Dominik W. Feger