Building Affordable Light-Based Hardware Security Tooling

Explore a 44-minute Black Hat conference presentation that revolutionizes hardware security testing through affordable light-based tools. Learn how stored memory in hardware can be influenced by light, from the historical use of UV light in EPROM erasure to modern laser-based attack techniques. Discover how to build a cost-effective alternative to expensive hardware labs by modifying opensource microscopes, implementing home-built beam splitters, and utilizing consumer-grade diode lasers. Examine practical applications including laser-based fault injection, hardware malware detection, and supply chain chip replacement verification. Understand how this innovative approach combines optics, laser selection, and machine learning to make sophisticated hardware security testing accessible to entry-level security professionals without requiring substantial financial investment. Presented by Sam Beaumont, Director of Transportation, Mobility & Cyber-Physical Systems, and Larry Trowell, Director at NetSPI, this talk challenges the notion that laser-based hardware attacks are exclusive to nation-state actors with extensive resources.