What you don’t know about firmware might get you 0wn3d

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Presented at BSidesAsheville 2017 by

Brian Richardson

In recent years, firmware has become a more attractive target for hackers. Insecure firmware can allow attackers to install persistent exploits below the OS layer. Developers need to understand why attackers target firmware, the makeup of common attacks, and how to secure platforms against common attacks. This session uses research from Intel and McAfee Advanced Threat Research (ATR) to describe common attacks on UEFI firmware, using open source examples to demonstrate best practices for detecting and preventing low-level system exploits. Attendees will learn about common methods used by attackers to circumvent OS-level protections and install persistent attacks in platform firmware. The session will also demonstrate tools used to detect firmware issues, and best practices for firmware developers using open source UEFI examples. Brian Richardson is an Intel technical evangelist who has spent most of his career as a “BIOS guy” working on the firmware that quietly boots billions of computers. Brian has focused on the industry transition to the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), demystifying how firmware works and simplifying firmware development tools. Brian has presented at conferences including LinuxCon, Linaro Connect, Bsides and Intel Developer Forum. When he’s not blogging for the Intel Software Evangelists project, Brian shoots videos and photos of his travel around the world.