Hardware Podcasts

#397.8 - An Interview with Chris Gerlinsky

The Amp Hour · 25 Jun 2018 · 21m

What this episode covers

Chris Gerlinsky, an embedded reverse engineer based on Vancouver Island, explains his work decapping chips and microprobing to extract firmware and security keys from automotive ECUs and legacy cable set-top boxes. He details the physical processes of delayering ICs using chemicals and plasma etching to expose silicon bits, and discusses how aftermarket automotive companies use these techniques to integrate non-OEM parts into closed vehicle networks. Gerlinsky also contrasts the ease of reverse-engineering older pay-TV security chips with the increasing difficulty posed by modern automotive security measures like signed code and RSA signatures.

Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Motorola, General Instrument
Also
ToorCamp, CCC, 33C3, Recon, Mamaimo Maker Space

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 27m

    024 - Cars, Servers, and FPGAs!

    Rick Altherr, a security researcher at Eclipsium, discusses his work reverse engineering automotive ECUs, server BMCs, and FPGAs. He details the process of decoding undocumented serial protocols in aftermarket engine control units and explains the architecture of EFI and Baseboard Management Controllers (BMCs). Altherr also covers the open-source FPGA toolchain revolution, specifically how Clifford Wolf and others reverse-engineered Lattice iCE40 chips to enable tools like Yosys and NextPNR.

    Debugging & failure analysisChips, FPGAs & semiconductors
    7 chapters

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 16m

    054 - It's A Calibration, Not An Update!

    Willem Melching, head of OpenPilot at comma.ai, details his journey from hobbyist electronics to reverse engineering automotive ECUs. He explains how he bypassed security on a VW Golf power steering module by exploiting a calibration protocol to dump firmware, then used Ghidra and binwalk to modify safety limits. Melching also describes the architecture of OpenPilot, an open-source Level 2 driver assistance system that supports over 150 cars by reverse engineering their CAN bus communications.

    Debugging & failure analysisEmbedded firmware
    8 chapters

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 24m

    022 - Bits Through the Microscope

    Chris Gerlinksy, a reverse engineering consultant from PDR North, explains how he extracts ROM data from microcontrollers by deprocessing chips and imaging them under a microscope. He details the evolution of security in PayTV smart cards, from simple 8-bit chips to modern devices with anti-tamper shields and implant ROMs that require specialized etching to reveal data. Gerlinksy also discusses the tools of the trade, including wet etching, CMP polishing, and micro-probing stations, as well as software for automating bit extraction from optical images.

    Debugging & failure analysisChips, FPGAs & semiconductors
    7 chapters

  • Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast · 1h 10m

    032 - High Molarity Rants

    John McMaster, founder of the Mountain View Reverse Engineering Meetup and operator of siliconpr0n.org, discusses the history of his hardware hacking community and his work in chip reverse engineering. He details the meetup's evolution from Red Rock Cafe to Alice's Smokehouse, highlighting the unique security community culture where attendance often exceeds RSVPs. McMaster also explains his technical approach to firmware extraction, including decapping chips with acids and using tools like the Swiss Light Source for non-invasive analysis.

    Chips, FPGAs & semiconductorsMaker community & events
    9 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 1h 00m

    352: Baby's First Hydrofluoric Acid

    John McMaster, president of McMaster Consulting, explains the process of decapping computer chips to extract firmware and analyze their internal structure. He details the use of hydrofluoric acid, lapping machines, and focused ion beam (FIB) tools to delayer chips, allowing for the imaging of ROM and other circuitry. McMaster also discusses software tools like Rompar and bitract for converting microscope images into binary code, and shares insights on the legal and technical aspects of reverse engineering older hardware like the SNES S-PPU1.

    PCB design & layoutDebugging & failure analysis
    12 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.