Emulating Embedded Linux Devices at Scale w LightTouch Firmware Rehosting
Introduces LightTouch, an automated firmware rehosting framework that enables scalable dynamic analysis and fuzzing of embedded Linux devices in QEMU.
Summary
Challenges of Embedded Firmware Dynamic Analysis
Performing dynamic security analysis on embedded Linux firmware typically requires physical hardware or labor-intensive manual QEMU environment configuration.
LightTouch: Automated Firmware Rehosting
S Polke introduces LightTouch, a lightweight firmware rehosting framework that automatically extracts root filesystems, patches hardware dependencies, and boots embedded Linux firmware in emulated QEMU environments.
Fuzzing and Vulnerability Discovery at Scale
By virtualizing hardware peripherals and intercepting system calls, LightTouch enables automated dynamic analysis and large-scale fuzzing across diverse router, IP camera, and IoT firmware images.
Accelerating IoT Security Auditing
Automating firmware emulation empowers researchers to audit hundreds of embedded devices concurrently without acquiring physical hardware units.
Related talks
Main Stage·41 min
Jeroen 'Jeroen' Domburg
Demonstrates hardware hacking and reverse engineering to run custom Linux kernels and open software on inexpensive USB webcams.
Main Stage·33 min
Christopher Roberts - Firmware Slap: Automating Discovery of Exploitable Vulnerabilities in Firmware
Christopher Roberts
Presents Firmware Slap, a framework combining concolic execution and fuzzing to automatically discover exploitable bugs in embedded firmware.
Main Stage·43 min
Yaniv Balmas · Lior Oppenheim
Yaniv Balmas and Lior Oppenheim demonstrate reverse engineering KVM switch firmware, subverting the 8051 microcontroller to install an undetectable, persistent hardware keylogger.