Hardware Podcasts

Conning with Michael Ossmann

The Amp Hour · 18 Jul 2017 · 1h 43m · Episode 352

What this episode covers

Michael Ossmann of Great Scott Gadgets discusses the HackRF software defined radio, his company's open source hardware philosophy, and the development of the GreatFET hardware hacking tool. He details technical advancements in spectrum monitoring, including rapid sweeping algorithms and software interfaces for security researchers, while also covering his upcoming talks at Black Hat and DEF CON regarding spectrum analysis and spread spectrum systems. The conversation highlights the growing intersection of software and hardware security, the use of specialized components like GreenPak chips for level shifting, and the broader ecosystem of hardware hacking conferences and training.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Great Scott Gadgets, Saleae
Products
HackRF, GreatFET, UberTooth, GoodFet, Bus Pirate, Daisho, Pneumato Ops
Chips
GreenPak
Tools
Q spectrum analyzer, Shiny SDR

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 37m

    057 - I Did Not Expect Sharks!

    Michael Ossmann, founder and CTO of Great Scott Gadgets, discusses the creation of open-source hardware tools like HackRF One and Ubertooth One, which emerged from his background in wireless security research. He explains how his work on public safety protocols like APCO P25 and the NSA's ANT catalog led to the development of accessible RF tools and a passion for education through his SDR video series. Ossmann also shares anecdotes about unexpected uses of his hardware, such as studying shark behavior, and the importance of open-source software like GNU Radio Companion in lowering the barrier to entry for digital signal processing.

    Open-source hardwareWireless & RF
    8 chapters

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 06m

    012 - Cheese vs. SDR

    Jared Boone, founder of Sharebrained Technology, discusses the HackRF software-defined radio and the Portapack, a portable handheld device he developed to make SDR accessible without a laptop. Alvaro, who runs a cheese project called Ostur, joins the conversation to discuss embedded development using STM32 and Nordic nRF52 platforms, while also sharing his passion for cheesemaking. The group explores the history of interactive TV, Blu-ray authoring, and the technical details of various radio technologies, including Iridium satellite interception and TPMS signal analysis.

    Wireless & RFEmbedded firmware
    10 chapters

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 02m

    059 - Instant Nerd Snipe

    Mike Ryan, founder of Ice9 Consulting and a Bluetooth security expert, joins the hosts to discuss reverse engineering RF protocols and the state of software-defined radio (SDR) tools. He details his methodology for analyzing custom RF signals using tools like Inspectrum and Baudline, explains how to identify modulation types like OOK and FSK, and shares insights on hardware choices like the HackRF and Ubertooth. Ryan also discusses his upcoming open-source Bluetooth sniffer for SDRs, the challenges of virtualization on M1 Macs, and the importance of using standard protocols like BLE over custom RF for security.

    Wireless & RFDebugging & failure analysis
    6 chapters

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 32m

    078 - Séance Mode - An Interview with Michael Ossmann

    Michael Ossmann of Great Scott Gadgets discusses the release of the HackRF Pro, a complete redesign of the original HackRF1, and the Cynthion, a high-speed USB analyzer and emulator. He explains how Cynthion’s Python-based FaceDancer framework enables 'seance mode' reverse engineering by emulating missing USB devices, and details the HackRF Pro’s ability to receive signals down to 100 kHz using non-direct sampling techniques. The conversation also covers the company’s strategic rejection of LLM-generated code contributions, their reactive approach to global regulatory compliance, and the severe impact of recent chip shortages on their product roadmaps.

    PCB design & layoutMicrocontrollers & dev platforms
    8 chapters

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 38m

    025 - Opaque Magisterium

    Kate Temkin and Mikaela Szekely from Great Scott Gadgets discuss the challenges and tools of USB reverse engineering. They detail the creation of open-source hardware like the GreatFET and Rhododendron, as well as software tools like USBProxy and the new USB analyzer framework called USB. The conversation covers specific vulnerabilities, such as the Nintendo Switch stack smash, and the difficulties of high-speed signal analysis compared to low-cost logic analyzers.

    Debugging & failure analysisTest & measurement
    7 chapters

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.