Come to Black Hat USA for the Latest Hardware Hacks

There’s no better place to see cutting-edge technology exploited than Black Hat USA in Las Vegas this October, where there’s an entire track of talks dedicated to the (in)security of hardware, firmware, and embedded devices.

Moving from Hacking IoT Gadgets to Breaking into One of Europe's Highest Hotel Suites is a great example; it’s a 50-minute Briefing in which you’ll be shown and taught the tools and methods security researchers used to break the Bluetooth LE-based mobile phone key system of a major hotel chain.

You’ll get a full walkthrough of how the researchers worked out how to wirelessly sniff someone entering their room (or just unlocking the elevator) and then reconstruct the needed data to open the door with any BTLE-enabled PC -- or even a Raspberry Pi.

BMW fans and car security enthusiasts are advised to check out 0-days & Mitigations: Roadways to Exploit and Secure Connected BMW Cars, another 50-minute Briefing in which speakers from BMW Group and Tencent’s Keen Security Lab will share details of how multiple BMW car models were exploited through physical access and a remote approach -- without any owner interaction.

This is a great opportunity to be introduced to the system architecture and external attack surfaces of connected cars, and you’ll also learn details about the vulnerabilities (including multiple 0-days) which existed in two vehicle components: the Infotainment System (a.k.a. Head Unit) and the Telematics Control Unit.

All the 4G Modules Could be Hacked is, as you might expect, a promising Briefing from the Baidu Security Lab about how all the 4G modules built into things like vending machines, cars, and advertising screens can be hacked. Now  that the “Internet of Things” is in vogue, this Briefing is a great way for you to get a comprehensive overview of the hardware structure of IoT modules. You’ll also learn their most common vulnerabilities and see how researchers used them to do things like take control of vehicles by attacking their built-in entertainment systems. Don’t miss it!

More details on these exciting Briefings and many more are available now on the Black Hat USA Briefings page, which is regularly updated with new content as we get closer to the event!

Black Hat USA returns to the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas August 3-8, 2019. For more information on what’s happening at the event and how to register, check out the Black Hat website.