Hacker News with Generative AI: Firmware

Reverse-engineering Fujitsu M7MU RELC hardware compression (op-co.de)
This is a follow-up to the Samsung NX mini (M7MU) firmware reverse-engineering series. This part is about the proprietary LZSS compression used for the code sections in the firmware of Samsung NX mini, NX3000/NX3300 and Galaxy K Zoom. The post is documenting the step-by-step discovery process, in order to show how an unknown compression algorithm can be analyzed. The discovery process was supported by Igor Skochinsky and Tedd Sterr, and by writing the ideas out on encode.su.

Hardware, Reverse Engineering, Compression Algorithms, Firmware, Samsung

40 points by ge0rg 4 days ago | 2 comments

Switch bouncing reference traces for a variety of different switches (github.com/gsuberland)
This repository contains a collection of example traces showing switch bouncing behaviour. This may be useful if you want some quick reference data for implementing robust debouncing systems in your circuits and firmware.

Electronics, Hardware, Firmware, Debugging, Circuit Design

51 points by luu 5 days ago | 23 comments

A serious issue has been identified with Tern and Tern TX v34 firmware (mailchi.mp)
A serious issue has been identified with Tern and Tern TX v34 firmware.

Firmware, Security, Cycling, Hardware, Software

4 points by robin_reala 30 days ago | 0 comments

Coreboot 25.03 Released with Support for 22 More Motherboards (phoronix.com)
For those looking to replace their proprietary BIOS with the open-source Coreboot on a supported platform or are already doing so, Coreboot 25.03 is out today to provide the newest capabilities for this open-source BIOS/firmware solution.

Open Source, BIOS, Firmware, Hardware, New Releases

5 points by LinuxBender 35 days ago | 0 comments

Getting the Firmware of a VTech/LeapFrog LeapStart/Magibook (prose.sh)
This is a very small blog post about my first reverse engineering project, in which I don't really reverse engineer anything yet, but I am just getting started!

Reverse Engineering, Hardware, Firmware, Learning, Kids

33 points by LelouBil 36 days ago | 6 comments

Rust on the Ferris Sweep (gabevenberg.com)
The other day, I stumbled upon RMK, a keyboard firmware written in Rust. Given that my Ferris Sweep has a Ferris the crab logo on the silkscreen, it felt only fitting that I flash it with RMK.

Rust, Firmware, Keyboards

43 points by todsacerdoti 39 days ago | 6 comments

QRP Labs QMX SSB beta firmware relased (qrp-labs.com)
This is the beta release page for the SSB firmware for QMX/QMX+ transceivers. This is a very complex project. The beta release here is provided without warranty, for brave beta testers who wish to try out the firmware and report back on any issues found or suggested enhancements. The firmware runs on both QMX and QMX+; for convenience from now on, this page will state "QMX" but that means equivalently QMX or QMX+ unless otherwise stated.

Radio Communication, Beta Software, Software, Firmware, Amateur Radio

72 points by DrAwdeOccarim 52 days ago | 23 comments

Breaking AES encrypted firmware using neural networks (fromnothing.blog)
Firmware encryption is becoming a common feature in modern devices. From a security standpoint, that’s welcome news. However, for anyone reverse engineering or testing device security, dumping firmware is often one of the first tasks — and encryption makes that task extremely challenging, if not impossible. So, why are we seeing more encryption? There are several reasons.

Security, Firmware, Machine Learning, Reverse Engineering

26 points by zzbox 58 days ago | 2 comments

Reconsidering Debian's Inclusion of Non-Free Firmware – A Call for Discussion (debian.org)
In 2022, the General Resolution to officially include non-free firmware in the installation images shocked me because it signified a move away from Debian’s conceptual roots.

Debian, Open Source, Firmware, Operating Systems, Linux

8 points by ajdude 59 days ago | 2 comments

. – –. e s x d o s – o R g (esxdos.org)
ESXDOS aims to be the ultimate firmware for the DivIDE/DivMMC interface.

Firmware, Retrocomputing, Hardware, DivMMC, DivIDE

6 points by rcarmo 88 days ago | 3 comments

Flashing custom firmware on a ~$20 smart ring (with BLE and a display) [video] (youtube.com)

Hardware, Wearables, DIY, Firmware, Bluetooth

4 points by roger_ 95 days ago | 0 comments

E-Ink TRMNL device firmware (github.com/usetrmnl)

E-Ink, Firmware, Hardware, Open Source

13 points by achristmascarl 97 days ago | 1 comments

Patient Monitor Contec CMS8000 Contains a Backdoor (cisa.gov)
This fact sheet details an analysis of three firmware package versions of the Contec CMS8000, a patient monitor used by the U.S. Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) sector. Analysts discovered that an embedded backdoor function with a hard-coded IP address, CWE – 912: Hidden Functionality (CVE-2025-0626), and functionality that enables patient data spillage, CWE – 359: Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor (CVE-2025-0683), exists in all versions analyzed.

Cybersecurity, Healthcare, Vulnerabilities, Firmware, Backdoors

59 points by doener 98 days ago | 12 comments

Microsoft patches Windows to eliminate Secure Boot bypass threat (arstechnica.com)
For the past seven months—and likely longer—an industry-wide standard that protects Windows devices from firmware infections could be bypassed using a simple technique. On Tuesday, Microsoft finally patched the vulnerability. The status of Linux systems is still unclear.

Security, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Firmware

25 points by jron 113 days ago | 5 comments

Autocorrect in Your Keyboard Firmware (2021) (getreuer.info)
Autocorrect is now a core QMK feature! It was released on 2022-11-26. Update your QMK set up and see QMK Autocorrect. Or if you want, you may continue to use the userspace implementation described in this page.

Firmware, Keyboard, Software, Autocorrect

40 points by samwho 123 days ago | 30 comments

Intel ME Cleaner (github.com/corna)
me_cleaner is a Python script able to modify an Intel ME firmware image with the final purpose of reducing its ability to interact with the system.

Security, Python, Intel, Firmware

31 points by akkartik 146 days ago | 4 comments

9elements Takes over Intel 1st Gen Xeon Scalable Skylake Support Within Coreboot (phoronix.com)
For those still running a 1st Generation Xeon Scalable "Skylake" era server, support for it within the open-source Coreboot firmware may continue to improve all these years later thanks to firmware consulting firm 9elements.

Open Source, Server Hardware, Firmware, Intel

46 points by rbanffy 167 days ago | 4 comments

YubiKey still selling old stock with vulnerable firmware (ycombinator.com)
FYI, YubiKey is apparently still selling old stock with firmware vulnerable to the EUCLEAK attack instead of disposing of them, as a reader of Fefe's Blog reported:

Security, Hardware, Firmware, Vulnerability

288 points by MaKey 178 days ago | 109 comments

RMK, a keyboard firmware written in Rust, just released v0.4.0 (reddit.com)
RMK, a keyboard firmware written in Rust, just released v0.4.0 (self.rust)

New Releases, Firmware, Rust, Hardware

5 points by haobogu 190 days ago | 0 comments

A brief history of Mac firmware (eclecticlight.co)
Firmware, software that’s intimately involved with hardware at a low level, has changed radically with each of the different processor architectures used in Macs.

Mac, Firmware, History, Hardware, Software

50 points by Brajeshwar 194 days ago | 11 comments

Securing Hardware and Firmware Supply Chains (microsoft.com)
In the modern cloud data center, ensuring the authenticity, integrity, and security of hardware and firmware is paramount.

Security, Cloud Computing, Hardware, Firmware

25 points by transpute 201 days ago | 4 comments

Laptop Vendor Malibal Suggests Not Supporting Coreboot (phoronix.com)
In a rather surprising post this morning, laptop vendor MALIBAL that offers both Linux and Windows systems is suggesting to not support the Coreboot project for open-source system firmware.

Hardware, Open Source, Linux, Windows, Firmware

8 points by mikece 203 days ago | 2 comments

Betaflight: Open-Source Firmware for Drone Flight Controllers (github.com/betaflight)
Betaflight is flight controller software (firmware) used to fly multi-rotor craft and fixed wing craft.

Open-Source, Software, Drones, Firmware, Robotics

9 points by LogicLoom 214 days ago | 1 comments

Open-Source Flipper Zero Firmware: Unlock Your Device's Full Potential (github.com/flipperdevices)
Flipper Zero Official Website. A simple way to explain to your friends what Flipper Zero can do.

Open-Source, Firmware, Security, Hardware, Gadgets

55 points by ByteSurge 221 days ago | 41 comments

Hack GPON – how to access, change and edit fibre ONTs (hack-gpon.org)
Most ONTs run customized firmware which implement vendor and ISP-specific integrations and are locked down in functionality to match service requirements.

Networking, Security, Firmware, Hacking, Telecommunications

250 points by pabs3 226 days ago | 143 comments

DEF Con 19 – Charlie Miller – Battery Firmware Hacking [video] (youtube.com)

Cybersecurity, Hacking, DEF CON, Firmware

16 points by shayanbahal 234 days ago | 1 comments

Fixing an Elgato HD60 S HDMI capture device with the help of Ghidra (downtowndougbrown.com)
This post has a little bit of everything. Hardware diagnostics, some suspiciously similar datasheets from two separate Taiwan chip manufacturers, and firmware reverse engineering. Read on if that sounds like fun!

Hardware, Reverse Engineering, Firmware

510 points by miles 234 days ago | 96 comments

Fixing an Elgato HD60 S HDMI capture device with the help of Ghidra (downtowndougbrown.com)
This post has a little bit of everything. Hardware diagnostics, some suspiciously similar datasheets from two separate Taiwan chip manufacturers, and firmware reverse engineering. Read on if that sounds like fun!

Hardware, Reverse Engineering, Firmware, Security

5 points by todsacerdoti 236 days ago | 0 comments

AMD Plans for Open-Source Firmware OpenSIL replacing AGESA blobs for Zen 6 (phoronix.com)
Last year to much excitement in our community was the new AMD project announcement of openSIL as an open-source CPU silicon initialization project that is an advancement for open-source firmware and to eventually replace AMD's AGESA across both client and server processors.