# 011 - Making Too Many Assumptions

- Show: [Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast)
- Published: 2018-06-03
- Length: 45m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions
- Listen: https://unnamedre.com/episode/11

## Summary

Bluetooth security researcher Mike Ryan, founder of Ice 9 Consulting, discusses his journey from hacking Game Boy ROMs to exposing critical vulnerabilities in Bluetooth products, including Boosted Skateboards and Fuse credit cards. He explains how developers often fail by implementing custom cryptography or ignoring threat models, such as the risk of a credit card being handed to a waiter, leading to data exposure. Ryan advocates for using built-in BLE security and provides a detailed workflow for reverse engineering using tools like Ubertooth, Wireshark, and CrackLE to analyze protocol flaws and pairing weaknesses.

## Chapters

- [0:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=31) Introduction: Mike Ryan and Ice 9 Consulting
- [2:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=121) Mike Ryan's Background: Game Boy Hacking and Ubertooth Origins
- [6:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=387) Case Study: Boosted Skateboard Vulnerability (CVE-2015-2247)
- [11:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=699) BLE Security Advice: Built-in vs. Custom Crypto
- [15:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=926) Case Study: Fuse Bluetooth Credit Card Flaws
- [19:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=1156) Reverse Engineering Workflow: Android HCI Logs and Wireshark
- [23:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=1434) Sniffing Encrypted BLE: Ubertooth and CrackLE
- [29:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=1780) Essential Tools: Wireshark, Smali, InSpectrum, and GattTool
- [34:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=2041) Common Developer Mistakes: Custom Crypto and Poor Threat Modeling
- [38:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions#t=2331) Reverse Engineering Advice: Questioning Assumptions

## Topics

- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)
- [Debugging & failure analysis](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/debugging-and-failure-analysis)
- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Ubertooth (tool)
- Wireshark (tool)
- CrackLE (tool)
- Boosted Skateboard (product)
- Fuse (product)
- Brilliant TS (company)
- Ice 9 Consulting (company)
- InSpectrum (tool)
- GattTool (tool)
- Apktool (tool)
- Smali (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [117: In as Much as Which](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-09-09-117-in-as-much-as-which) (Embedded.fm)
- [How To Build High Quality Bluetooth Products | SwaraLink Technologies's Sandeep Kamath | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2022-12-29-how-to-build-high-quality-bluetooth-products-swaralink-technologiess-sandeep-kam) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [108: Nebarious](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2015-07-08-108-nebarious) (Embedded.fm)
- [Hardware Security with Matt Brown](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-07-17-hardware-security-with-matt-brown) (The Amp Hour)
- [62: Costs a Penny to Go to the Bathroom](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2014-08-06-62-costs-a-penny-to-go-to-the-bathroom) (Embedded.fm)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2018-06-03-011-making-too-many-assumptions. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast.