# 032 - High Molarity Rants

- Show: [Unnamed Reverse Engineering Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast)
- Published: 2020-02-25
- Length: 1h 10m
- Episode: 32
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants
- Listen: https://unnamedre.com/episode/32

## Summary

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.

## Chapters

- [0:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=27) Introduction: John McMaster and Mountain View Reverse Engineering Meetup
- [1:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=103) History of the Meetup: Red Rock Cafe to Alice's Smokehouse
- [15:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=916) Meetup Highlights: Talks on Car Wash Protocols and Chrome 0-days
- [26:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=1591) Community Events: White Elephant Gift Exchange and Vintage Hardware
- [33:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=2004) siliconpr0n.org: Wiki and Chip Archive Resources
- [37:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=2221) Getting Started in Reverse Engineering: From Lasers to Firmware Extraction
- [50:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=3017) Essential Tools: Decapping, Acids, and Microscopes
- [57:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=3426) Advanced Techniques: Swiss Light Source and Glitching
- [1:05:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/unnamed-reverse-engineering-podcast/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants#t=3927) Security Philosophy: Trade-offs and Practical Constraints

## Topics

- [Chips, FPGAs & semiconductors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/chips-and-fpgas)
- [Maker community & events](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/maker-community)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Fabrication & craft](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fabrication-and-craft)

## Most relevant to

makers and hobbyists

## Mentioned

- Mountain View Reverse Engineering Meetup (other)
- siliconpr0n.org (other)
- Alice's Smokehouse (other)
- Red Rock Cafe (other)
- RPI-SEC (other)
- Riscure (company)
- Hardwear.io (other)
- Swiss Light Source (other)
- DEFCON (other)
- Recon (other)
- Supercon (other)
- KitP (other)
- MIPS (chip)
- 6502 (chip)
- 68K (chip)
- PSOC 4 (chip)
- Dreamcast (product)
- Sega Genesis (product)
- Tamagotchi (product)
- Palo Alto Networks (company)
- Juyce (product)
- ATECC (chip)
- TPM (chip)
- Olympus BH2 (tool)
- Dremel (tool)
- IDA (tool)
- JTAG (tool)
- FIB (tool)
- Paul Scherer Institute (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [352: Baby's First Hydrofluoric Acid](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2020-11-20-352-babys-first-hydrofluoric-acid) (Embedded.fm)
- [An Interview with Dmitry Nedospasov](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-06-17-an-interview-with-dmitry-nedospasov) (The Amp Hour)
- [#397.8 - An Interview with Chris Gerlinsky](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2018-06-25-397-8-an-interview-with-chris-gerlinsky) (The Amp Hour)
- [130: Criminal Training Camp (Repeat)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-05-25-130-criminal-training-camp-repeat) (Embedded.fm)
- [Live from Serbia with Mike Harrison](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2016-04-14-live-from-serbia-with-mike-harrison) (The Amp Hour)

## 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/2020-02-25-032-high-molarity-rants. 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.