Hackaday Podcast · 1 Dec 2023 · 1h 17m · Episode 246
Hosts Elliot Williams and Dan Maloney discuss bypassing Windows Hello fingerprint sensors by exploiting implementation flaws in the Secure Device Connection Protocol, including switching to Linux mode or using trivial USB hacks. They cover a project creating a self-destructing flash drive that fails to reliably kill memory chips despite high-voltage attempts, and a binary G-code format proposal from Prusa designed to compress data and reduce baud rate bottlenecks. The episode also features a recap of a meteor sound analysis by Harvard astronomer Avi Loeb, a large-scale passive balancing PCB for 18650 cells, and a repurposed 3D printer used as an automated wristwatch cleaner.
makers and hobbyists
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Security researcher Mike Grover (MG) explains how he creates cable implants by milling tiny PCBs with an OXO mill to fit inside USB cables. He details the process of designing minimal HID attack circuits using ATtiny microcontrollers and the challenges of home-reflowing BGA components on ultra-thin FR-4 boards. Grover discusses the shift from wired to wireless implants and the importance of rapid iteration in hardware security research.
Thomas Roth (Stacksmashing) discusses his recent hardware reverse engineering projects, including bypassing the lock on iPhone 15 and MacBook M3 chips using the Ace 3 controller and tools like the Central Scrutinizer and Tamarin-C. He also details a low-cost BitLocker key sniffer built with a Raspberry Pi Pico and his work with HexTree.io on the RP2350 Hacking Challenge and the Faultier glitching tool. Roth emphasizes the importance of accessible, open-source hardware security tools for education and community learning.
Hosts Elecia White and Christopher White discuss listener emails covering Bluetooth 4.2 security, the definition of masked ROM, and the use of the volatile keyword in C. They review Elecia's work on precision mice feeders and bike lights, and detail their disassembly of BB-8 robots for competitive analysis of their BLE and inertial sensors. The episode concludes with commentary on Amazon's work culture and drone regulations.
Natalie Silvanovich, a member of Google's Project Zero, discusses her extensive reverse engineering of Tamagotchi devices, detailing how she bypassed epoxy blobs using nitric acid and exploited memory timing vulnerabilities to dump firmware from GeneralPlus chips. She explains the evolution of the devices from simple 6502-based systems to modern ARM-based models with Bluetooth, Android apps, and Unity engines, while also touching on her professional work finding remote code execution vulnerabilities in WebRTC and Flash implementations. The conversation covers the small but dedicated community of Tamagotchi hackers, including Mr. Blinky and Boulter, and highlights the tools she uses, such as IDA, Ghidra, and Frida, to analyze both hardware and software components.
Eric Schlaepfer and Windell Oskay discuss their book 'Open Circuits,' detailing the process of cutting components in half with sandpaper and grinding wheels to reveal internal structures, while Jacob Creedon, Spencer Moss, Ken, and Will McGuiness share their perspectives on reverse engineering tools like IDA Pro and Ghidra, and the legal and social implications of technology. The group debates the future of AI, the validity of NFTs, and the importance of right-to-repair legislation, with Spencer Moss from Google and Ken from Somerset Recon highlighting the increasing complexity of hardware security. Mike Ryan from Ice 9 Consulting joins to discuss Bluetooth security, the obsolescence of passwords, and the dual-use nature of technology in the context of government regulation.
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