Hardware security

Why, and for whom ?

Use cases

Vendor want to restrict access from the user:

  • Console vendor wanting to avoid access to their game.
  • Vaccuum vendor want to force cloud usage for their product
  • Phone vendor want to control which software you are running (android/iphone)

Not necessary for security alone, because once customer is unable to control what is runned,

  • he cannot patch himself security issue
  • he still subject to security attack (if vendor breached).

Bypass

AllWinner SOC

FEL is a low-level subroutine contained in the BootROM on Allwinner devices. It is used for initial programming and recovery of devices using USB.

FEL

Device concerned

Written on March 30, 2025, Last update on
hardware-security security reverse