● IoT/OT HARDWARE WORKSHOP
Foundations of Embedded Protocol Analysis & Exploitation
Learn to approach, analyze, and exploit embedded protocols through hands-on interaction with simulated hardware and authentic communication traces from real devices.
enriched with:
This training is delivered through custom-built, guided instruction by Cyber Helmets, using Hack The Box infrastructure and hardware-focused challenges to support hands-on learning.
Across two intensive online sessions, see how attackers analyze embedded systems and the communication protocols that connect their components. Work hands-on with simulated hardware targets, analyze real protocol captures from genuine devices, and apply practical exploitation techniques used by hardware security researchers, building a repeatable methodology for approaching and analyzing any embedded protocol.
● WHAT YOU’LL DO
What you’ll work on
Embedded protocol analysis & adversarial workflows
Decode and analyze embedded communication protocols to understand real-world attacker workflows.
Logic capture & dynamic behavior analysis
Analyze communication traces and dynamic behavior using a simulated hardware environment.
Embedded communication analysis
Analyze device communication logic to understand behavior, data flows, and system interactions.
Hardware analysis & component identification
Showcase real hardware workflows used to identify and access hardware interfaces and components on embedded devices.
Repeatable embedded analysis methodology
Develop a repeatable methodology for approaching and analyzing embedded protocols across different hardware devices.
Practical takeaways & reusable tooling
Leave with practical notes, reusable tooling, and a clear action plan for applying these techniques in real security assessments.
● AGENDA
Your 2-day training journey
Day 1
Understanding embedded communication through an attacker’s lens
→ Digital signal fundamentals for embedded communication
→ Protocol behavior patterns
→ Decoding embedded protocol captures
→ Reversing simple serial communication flows
→ Guided hands-on labs analyzing real-world communication scenarios
Day 2
Practical exploitation of embedded interfaces
→ Identifying and accessing hidden or undocumented hardware interfaces
→ Escaping restrictive debugging environments
→ Retrieving and analyzing embedded firmware
→ Discovering credentials and sensitive information stored on devices
→ Achieving persistence through hardware-level techniques
→ Demonstrating debugging workflows to support deeper device analysis
→ Analyzing unknown and undocumented data formats
● INSTRUCTORS
Meet the instructors
Konstantinos S. Mokos
Security researcher and Principal Cyber Security Architect specializing in embedded systems and ICS/OT security.
Ilias Fiotakis
Senior Content Engineer with an electrical engineering background, specializing in hardware, cryptographic security, and embedded systems.
Anastasios Meletlidis
Cybersecurity researcher with I0.RS, with experience in vulnerability research, exploit development, and penetration testing across Web, IoT, and ICS/OT.
● WHAT YOU’LL GAIN
Key takeaways
→ A deep understanding of embedded communication protocols and how they are used in hardware devices.
→ Hands-on experience analyzing embedded protocols using real-world captures and signals.
→ The ability to extract sensitive information from IoT devices through hardware-level analysis
→ Confidence in identifying and assessing hardware interfaces on embedded devices.
→ The skills to analyze real-world attacker workflows when assessing the security of IoT and embedded systems.
● REQUIREMENTS & PREREQUISITES
Requirements
→ Create an HTB account in advance (VIP+ access provided as part of the workshop)
→ Basic familiarity with Linux command-line workflows.
→ A general understanding of how embedded devices communicate (high-level only, no hardware experience required).
→ Experience with hands-on problem solving in a technical environment such as debugging, scripting, or working with protocol/data formats.
→ Comfort installing and running lightweight tooling used for viewing traces, interacting with simulated hardware, and performing analysis.
● BOOK YOUR SEAT
Step into the action
Join us for two days of hands-on embedded protocol analysis and exploitation.
Book your seat
What's included:
- 2 days (6h/day) of live expert-led instruction with real hardware demonstrations and attacker-focused guidance
- 1 month voucher at Hack The Box VIP+ to access hardware challenges on the HTB platform
- Guided hands-on labs using simulated hardware interfaces and authentic pre-captured embedded protocol traces
- Certificate of Completion to validate your embedded protocol exploitation skills
- Post-training reference materials
