Hands-On Hardware Hacking and Reverse Engineering Techniques:
Black Hat Edition

Joe Grand july 21-22 july 23-24

$3200

Ends February 1

$3400

Ends June 1

$3600

Ends July 20

$3900

July 21-24


Overview

This course is the first of its kind and focuses on hardware hacking and reverse engineering techniques commonly used against hardware products. It is a combination of lecture and hands-on exercises, culminating with students attempting to defeat the security of a custom-designed circuit board.

We'll guide you through the hardware hacking process, explore basic electronics, experiment with test equipment, discuss embedded security, and dive into tips and techniques required for successful circuit modifications and hardware hacking. A more detailed course outline can be found on Grand Idea Studio's website.

Learning Objectives

During the course, the student will:

Expect to leave the course with a smile on your face and a hacked circuit board around your neck.

What to Expect

This two-day class is a crash course in electronics, hardware hacking, and reverse engineering. The first day introduces the students to the basic concepts of hardware hacking and electronics, common hardware hacking tools, embedded security, and some hands-on techniques. The second day continues with the fundamentals of reverse engineering, more hardware hacking experiments, and a look at state-of-the-art, advanced hardware hacking techniques. The class concludes with a full-scale, hands-on hardware hacking challenge to break the security of a custom-designed circuit board performed individually or in small groups.

Students should expect to get their hands dirty with some basic electronics construction and reverse engineering exercises. The student should come into the class with an open mind and a sense of humor. Expect to leave the course with a smile on your face and a hacked circuit board around your neck.

Each student will be presented with the following materials and resources to be used and referenced throughout the course:

Following successful completion of the course, each student will leave with:

Who Should Attend

The course aims to educate everyone, from beginner hobbyists to computer security consultants to design engineers to senior management. Whether you like to get your hands dirty with hacking hardware or you just are curious about how hackers may reverse engineer your products, this course will be of benefit. No prior electronics experience is required.

Course Materials

Students will be provided with the following materials:

Students should bring their own laptop running Windows (or equivalent virtual machine) and containing a functional USB interface. The laptop will be used for online research and to control test equipment. Software and drivers may need to be installed.

Trainer

Joe Grand is an electrical engineer and the President of Grand Idea Studio, Inc. He specializes in the invention, design, and licensing of consumer products and modules for electronics hobbyists. Joe is a former member of the legendary hacker collective L0pht Heavy Industries and has testified before the United States Senate Governmental Affairs Committee regarding government and homeland computer security. He has spent nearly two decades finding security flaws in hardware devices and educating engineers on how to increase the security of their designs.

Joe was a co-host of Prototype This, an engineering entertainment show on Discovery Channel. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from Boston University and a Doctorate of Science in Technology (Honorary) degree from the University of Advancing Technology.