An Interview with Samy Kamkar

The Amp Hour · 22 Jul 2016 · 1h 23m · Episode 308

What this episode covers

Samy Kamkar, an independent security researcher, discusses his journey from hacking Counter-Strike and MySpace to creating hardware exploits like Roll Jam and MagSpoof. He details how he used off-the-shelf components like the Raspberry Pi, Teensy, and TI CC1101 to demonstrate vulnerabilities in drones, car key fobs, and credit card systems. Kamkar emphasizes the importance of open-source hardware and low-cost tools like the Yardstick One and Proxmark in making security research accessible, while highlighting the growing security risks of IoT devices.

Mentioned

Products
MySpace, Counter-Strike, MagSpoof, Roll Jam
Chips
Raspberry Pi, Teensy, TI CC1101
Tools
Yardstick One, Proxmark

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 31m

    041 - What did you fail at this week?

    Samy Kamkar, co-founder of OpenPath Security, details his NAT Slipstreaming research, a technique that bypasses router protections to expose internal ports by exploiting SIP Application Layer Gateways and IP fragmentation. He discusses his broader security research, including car unlock attacks using NXP chips and creating iridescent chocolate via 3D printing on diffraction gratings. Kamkar also highlights his open-source tools, such as Ghidra for reverse engineering and his custom 'Samytools' suite, while emphasizing a philosophy of learning through failure and exploring non-obvious system inputs like temperature and electromagnetic signals.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 03m

    065 - Multitalented Grinch

    Hosts Alvaro Brieto and Jen discuss their recent attendance at Open Sauce and the Crowd Supply teardown conference, highlighting the community aspect of hardware reverse engineering. They review several books on security and hacking history, including 'ARM Assembly and Reverse Engineering' and 'Murdoch's Pirates', while also sharing news about past guests like David from Cyber City Circuits teaching the First Lady to solder. The episode concludes with technical discussions on CAN bus vulnerabilities in Toyota vehicles, hotel IoT security, and Alvaro's new DJI Mic recording setup for upcoming coverage at CCCamp.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 31m

    071 - Snerd Niped

    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.

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 08m

    100: Unintentional Radiator

    Hosts Amelia Cook and Christopher White reunite with guests Star Simpson and Jen Costillo to reflect on the evolution of the hardware hobbyist landscape over the two years since their first appearance. Star Simpson, who works at Orion, discusses her wearable device project and her open-source FPGA toolchain initiative called Balboa, while also recounting the challenges of crowdfunding the Octopart reference card. The group analyzes the shifting attitudes toward privacy and security in the Internet of Things, the rise of accessible prototyping tools like 3D printing and Crowd Supply, and the changing ecosystem of development boards including the Odroid and Arduino.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 40m

    053 - It's Hammer Time!

    Hash, a reverse engineer known for smart meter hacking, discusses his journey from self-taught electronics hobbyist to analyzing critical infrastructure. He details his reverse engineering of the Neato XV-11 robot vacuum's LIDAR to win a bounty, and his current work using Software Defined Radios (SDRs) like the HackRF and Yardstick One to analyze Landis+Gyr smart meters. Hash explains how he bypassed frequency hopping by transmitting on all channels simultaneously and highlights the security risks of these devices, including data leakage from decommissioned hardware found on eBay.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Amp Hour. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.