Reverse Engineering Of Embedded Architectures

Abstract

There exists multiple definitions of embedded device and architecture: generally speaking, an embedded device is an object that contains a special-purpose computing system. These devices can be found in many security critical environments such as car's anti-lock breaking systems, medical devices (eg. cardio machines, defibrillators) and even aircraft's avionics. The arrival of the so-called Internet of Things will connect many devices to the web, exposing all the potential security vulnerabilities. The process of studying the implementation of a device to understand its design is known as reverse engineering. In this thesis we present a detailed analysis of attack vectors and techniques adopted in the field of reverse engineering of embedded devices. To try to overcome security shortcomings of production devices, we will present advices and design practices of embedded architecture's common features such as inter-device communication and software updates.