# An Interview with Colin O'Flynn - Aspirated Adamantine Attacks

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2015-03-05
- Length: 1h 08m
- Episode: 239
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/239-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks/

## Summary

Colin O'Flynn, creator of the ChipWhisperer project and a PhD student at Dalhousie University, explains how side-channel attacks like differential power analysis (DPA) can break AES-256 encryption on embedded devices by measuring tiny power fluctuations. He discusses the hardware design of the ChipWhisperer, including its high-speed ADC and FPGA, and contrasts the open-source ChipWhisperer Lite with the more feature-rich original version. O'Flynn also details his manufacturing decisions, explaining why he chose local Canadian fabrication over China to avoid component substitution issues and ensure quality for this niche, high-precision tool.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=0) Introduction: Colin O'Flynn and the ChipWhisperer Project
- [2:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=165) Side-Channel Attacks: Breaking AES-256 via Power Analysis
- [6:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=381) O'Flynn's Background: From Embedded Systems to PhD Research
- [13:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=809) Hardware Design: FPGA, ADC, and the ChipWhisperer Lite
- [21:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=1264) Measurement Techniques: Shunts vs. EM Probes and Glitching
- [32:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=1971) Defending Embedded Security: Countermeasures and Threat Models
- [39:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=2350) Manufacturing Decisions: Local Fabrication vs. Chinese Assembly
- [54:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=3284) Product Differences: ChipWhisperer Lite vs. Original Hardware
- [1:01:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2015-03-05-an-interview-with-colin-oflynn-aspirated-adamantine-attacks#t=3685) Business Model: Open Source Hardware and Training Services

## Topics

- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- ChipWhisperer (product)
- ChipWhisperer Lite (product)
- AES-256 (other)
- Differential Power Analysis (other)
- Dalhousie University (other)
- Atmel (company)
- SAM 3 (chip)
- FPGA (chip)
- Kickstarter (other)
- Hackaday (other)
- DEF CON (other)
- Black Hat (other)
- DigiKey (company)
- MakerBot (company)
- Altium (company)
- Python (other)
- MATLAB (other)

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- [286: Twenty Cans of Gas (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2021-11-12-286-twenty-cans-of-gas-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [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)
- [044 - Scots Army Knife](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2021-01-03-044-scots-army-knife) (Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast)
- [3: Plenty of Candy, No Guns](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2013-05-29-3-plenty-of-candy-no-guns) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

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