Hardware Hacking

A Complete Course on Hardware and IoT Hacking.

In some ways, this course on hardware hacking is central to the heart of what ElectronicsReference is all about.

Hardware hacking lives at the core of the relationship between people and technology. When we hack hardware, we interact directly with a physical electronic system. To do so, we need to draw upon our knowledge of electronic components, circuit boards and integrated circuits, programming, firmware, and even offensive security (host and network hacking).

In this course, we will cover an overview of all of the concepts needed to hack hardware. We’ll go over the fundamentals of electric circuits, learn how to read schematics, cover the basic laws (Ohm’s Law, Kirchoff’s Voltage Law, and Kirchoff’s Current Law) that govern their behavior, and touch on how to model them.

We’ll learn about the components that can be found in virtually every circuit: resistors, capacitors, transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits. As we look at these components, we’ll learn how to use multimeters to test them and perform troubleshooting.

Finally, we’ll learn about IoT protocols like UART and SPI and use tools to perform logical analysis.

Many of these topics have been covered extensively in other areas of this website. As you progress through this course, you will often find links to in-depth articles that cover a component or technique – sometimes to a much greater extent.

What is Hardware Hacking?

Hardware hacking is the practice of modifying or manipulating electronic devices and hardware components for purposes other than their original intended use. As an illustration, hardware hacking could be used to add additional functionality, tap into existing (but unintended or unused) functionality, or to modify the hardware to do something that seemingly has little to do with its’ original intended usage. Hardware hacking can be used to discover vulnerabilities (very important in the age of IoT), learn the inner workings of the electronics, or to create entirely new devices.

Some common activities in hardware hacking include:

1. Reverse Engineering: This involves dissecting a device to understand its components, circuitry, and functionality. Reverse engineering can also help uncover proprietary or hidden features, vulnerabilities, or undocumented functionalities.
2. Modifications and Upgrades: Hardware hackers might modify existing devices to enhance or otherwise modify their capabilities. For example, upgrading the RAM or storage of a computer or overclocking a processor for better performance.
3. Customization: Hardware hacking can enable us to personalize devices by changing their appearance, adding custom LED lighting, or altering the physical layout to better suit our needs.
4. Vulnerability Research: Ethical hackers and security researchers engage in hardware hacking to discover security vulnerabilities in devices. These include embedded systems, routers, or IoT devices and helps manufacturers improve their products’ security.
5. Prototyping: Hardware hackers may use off-the-shelf components to build prototypes of new devices or create proof-of-concept demonstrations for new ideas.
6. Repurposing: This involves taking a device and using it for a different purpose than was originally intended. Some examples include, turning a Wi-Fi router into a web server or repurposing an old smartphone as a home automation hub.