# 286: Twenty Cans of Gas

- Show: [Embedded.fm](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm)
- Published: 2019-04-18
- Length: 1h 00m
- Episode: 286
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas
- Listen: https://makingembeddedsystems.libsyn.com/286-twenty-cans-of-gas

## Summary

Colin O'Flynn, CTO of NewAE Technology and an assistant professor at Dalhousie University, explains how his ChipWhisperer platform enables side-channel power analysis and fault injection attacks to recover encryption keys from embedded devices. He details the mechanics of differential power analysis, noting that power consumption correlates with data bus activity, allowing attackers to iteratively recover secret keys from algorithms like AES. O'Flynn discusses the ethical implications of open-source security tools, arguing that making these attacks accessible helps designers implement better countermeasures like masking and key rotation before products reach the market. He also covers his work with FPGAs for precise timing control in attacks and his hiring needs for embedded security experts at his company.

## Chapters

- [0:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas#t=6) Introduction: Colin O'Flynn and NewAE Technology
- [5:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas#t=319) ChipWhisperer and Side-Channel Power Analysis Mechanics
- [15:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas#t=957) Countermeasures: Masking, Key Rotation, and Hardware Defenses
- [31:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas#t=1869) Ethics of Open Source Security Tools and ChipWhisperer
- [37:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas#t=2234) From PhD Project to NewAE Business and Kickstarter
- [46:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas#t=2792) FPGA Programming and High-Level Design Tools
- [53:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas#t=3222) NewAE Hiring Needs and Future of Embedded Security

## Topics

- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- NewAE (company)
- ChipWhisperer (product)
- ChipWhisperer Light (product)
- Atmel (company)
- AES (other)
- NXP (company)
- LPC55S66 (chip)
- FPGA4Fun (other)
- TinyFPGA (product)
- MyHDL (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [038 - My Favorite Random Number is 5](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-08-23-038-my-favorite-random-number-is-5) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [An Interview with Colin O'Flynn - Aspirated Adamantine Attacks](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks) (The Amp Hour)
- [Shouting at chips with Colin O'Flynn](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-08-02-shouting-at-chips-with-colin-oflynn) (The Amp Hour)
- [An Interview with Dmitry Nedospasov](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-06-17-an-interview-with-dmitry-nedospasov) (The Amp Hour)
- [Hardware Security with Matt Brown](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-07-17-hardware-security-with-matt-brown) (The Amp Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2019-04-18-286-twenty-cans-of-gas. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Embedded.fm.