A bare-metal Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W (RP2350) companion firmware for #MeshCore as a pure-C SX1262 LoRa radio driver, Ed25519 identity, AES-128 CTR / HMAC-SHA256 authenticated datagram encryption, multi-channel management, and BTstack BLE companion for iPhone and Android.
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Kevin Thomas ✅
@kevinthomas@defcon.social
mastodon 4.7.3Author of the world’s most popular Reverse Engineering Tutorial
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50 Posts
Joined November 19, 2022
Today's Tutorial [September 15, 2026]
Lesson 296: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 14: Floating-Point Data Type)
This chapter covers the floating-point data type as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
I spend some time making a #flock tutorial so people know how it actually works. I used a regular webcam and some mock servers but the point is made in this project.
I so respect my #DEFCON friends and you all deserve better and my hope is this helps educate on how it works, the frequencies they transmit on and how the data looks.
I support the #ACLU and the hard work they have put forth as well.
Today's Tutorial [September 13, 2026]
Lesson 294: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 12: Debugging Integer Data Type)
This chapter covers debugging the integer data type in addition to a deeper assembler dive into GPIO outputs as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
We are HUMAN! We are not to be dismissed!
If you need #ReverseEngineering of #AI
Replying to
@defcon@defcon.social I am so crazy excited about this years badge and major kudos to Andrew “bunnie” Huang who designed a brilliant RISC-V chip and helping to advance the open-source community. I am so excited to get mine and see this incredible achievement! GREAT JOB!
I was rejected by the International Association for Cryptologic Research. They said submissions should ‘be clear, readable, and self-contained’, ‘look somewhat new and interesting’, and ‘contain proofs or convincing arguments for any claims’. I was none of these.
The academic establishment is still blindly trusting hardware-backed secure boot, treating it like an infallible standard wrapped in formal proofs. But those proofs are useless in the real world because secure boot relies on logic branches—and logic locks can be glitched.
We have proven that physical fault injection shatters these systems. A $5 voltage glitcher can drop the core voltage for a fraction of a microsecond, force the silicon to skip the signature verification instruction, and bypass the entire security model. The hardware just forgets to check the lock, and the execution door swings wide open.
I tried to explain that the 'proof' against this isn't some elegant equation—it's the fact that the execution is the decryption. If an attacker tries to fault-inject the Speck cipher, it doesn't skip a vulnerable logic gate; it spits out garbage plaintext, fetches invalid opcodes, and hard-faults the processor.
The entire point is that the machine code is inherently unreadable without the correct cryptographic state. There is no master key. The payload is the ciphertext. But apparently, actually building a bare-metal framework that turns physical exploits into a mathematically unsolvable problem isn't 'academic' enough unless it's wrapped in 15 pages of theoretical fluff.
As we enter #RoadToDEFCON34 #DEFCON I want to give credit to Kathleen Booth, the creator of the original Assembler and the ARC. She laid the absolute groundwork for all the bare-metal development and low-level reverse engineering we still do today.
Replying to
@magen@infosec.exchange @alethe@infosec.exchange @defcon@defcon.social looking forward to see you all as DC540 will be in full attendence!
Today's Tutorial [May 16, 2026]
Lesson 186: Pico Hacking Course (Part 3 - Debugging Hello World)
In this lesson we will discuss debugging the basic Hello World program.
Today's Tutorial [May 10, 2026]
Lesson 184: Pico Hacking Course (Part 1 - The Why, The How...)
In this lesson we will discuss the basic setup of the development environment for the Raspberry Pi Pico.
Today's Tutorial [May 7, 2026]
Lesson 181: ARM-64 Course (Part 18 - Double Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss the double primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [April 27, 2026]
Lesson 172: ARM-64 Course (Part 9 - Character Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss the char primitive datatype.
@nova hello kitty
With respect, Jensen, telling the next generation not to study computer science is a dangerous message—especially now. We are in an era of ransomware, AI-driven threats, and global cyberwarfare. If we don’t cultivate deep expertise—if we don’t train engineers who understand memory, system calls, cryptography, and how software actually works—we lose. I’ve reverse engineered malware, built secure Rust systems, and automated defenses. That skill didn’t come from just using tools—it came from knowing why they work. We don’t need fewer computer scientists—we need more warriors with keyboards. #CyberSecurity #Ransomware #ComputerScience
Today's Tutorial [May 9, 2026]
Lesson 183: ARM-64 Course (Part 20 - Hacking Double Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss hacking the double primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [May 19, 2026]
Lesson 189: Pico Hacking Course (Part 6 - Debugging char)
In this lesson we will discuss debugging the char data type.
Today's Tutorial [April 28, 2026]
Lesson 173: ARM-64 Course (Part 10 - Debugging Character Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss debugging the char primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [September 5, 2026]
Lesson 287: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 5: Intro To Variables)
This chapter covers an introduction to variables as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Today's Tutorial [May 11, 2026]
Lesson 185: Pico Hacking Course (Part 2 - Hello World)
In this lesson we will discuss the basic Hello World program.
Today's Tutorial [May 18, 2026]
Lesson 188: Pico Hacking Course (Part 5 - char)
In this lesson we will discuss the char data type.
Today's Tutorial [September 10, 2026]
Lesson 291: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 9: Debugging Uninitialized Variables)
This chapter covers debugging uninitialized variables as well as an intro to GPIO outputs as we blink an LED as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Replying to
@0x00string@infosec.exchange I appreciate your thoughts. I spent over a decade making free tutorials on RE covering a wide variety of ARCHs. I also put in a lot of time getting this encryption engine together with the hopes of advancing embedded security. I have not asked for money for either of these and simply want to help in small ways and that is what I am trying to do. Judge me as you see fit.
Replying to
@0x00string@infosec.exchange I did not get butt mad I answered the question asked. I appreciate you looking at the algorithm. Yes I was wrong about $5 I was referring to aftermarket but yes that was wrong of me. Anyway I hope the tool helps people on their own personal projects. Your point is fair.
Today's Tutorial [May 4, 2026]
Lesson 178: ARM-64 Course (Part 15 - Float Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss the float primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [September 16, 2026]
Lesson 297: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 15: Debugging Floating-Point Data Type)
This chapter covers debugging the floating-point data type as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Today's Tutorial [May 6, 2026]
Lesson 180: ARM-64 Course (Part 17 - Hacking Float Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss hacking the float primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [September 11, 2026]
Lesson 292: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 10: Hacking Uninitialized Variables)
This chapter covers hacking uninitialized variables as well as an intro to GPIO outputs as we blink an LED as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Today's Tutorial [September 8, 2026]
Lesson 289: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 7: Hacking Intro To Variables)
This chapter covers hacking an introduction to variables as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Replying to
@0x00string@infosec.exchange ok I thought you meant at your response. Yes my original post was over the top as I put so much effort into this. So yes.
Today's Tutorial [September 12, 2026]
Lesson 293: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 11: Integer Data Type)
This chapter covers the integer data type in addition to a deeper assembler dive into GPIO outputs as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Today's Tutorial [May 8, 2026]
Lesson 182: ARM-64 Course (Part 19 - Debugging Double Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss debugging the double primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [September 6, 2026]
Lesson 288: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 6: Debugging Intro To Variables)
This chapter covers debugging an introduction to variables as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Today's Tutorial [September 18, 2026]
Lesson 299: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 17: Double Floating-Point Data Type)
This chapter covers the double floating-point data type as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Today's Tutorial [April 30, 2026]
Lesson 175: ARM-64 Course (Part 12 - Boolean Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss the boolean primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [September 17, 2026]
Lesson 298: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 16: Hacking Floating-Point Data Type)
This chapter covers hacking the floating-point data type as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Today's Tutorial [September 14, 2026]
Lesson 295: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 13: Hacking Integer Data Type)
This chapter covers hacking the integer data type in addition to a deeper assembler dive into GPIO outputs as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
Today's Tutorial [May 5, 2026]
Lesson 179: ARM-64 Course (Part 16 - Debugging Float Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss debugging the float primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [September 19, 2026]
Lesson 300: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 18: Debugging Double Floating-Point Data Type)
This chapter covers debugging the double floating-point data type as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.
The more people stop learning to code the easier it is to hack the processor registers. What then? Are medical devices no longer important? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD7X9sXirF8
Embedded Systems Reverse Engineering
Today's Tutorial [May 17, 2026]
Lesson 187: Pico Hacking Course (Part 4 - Hacking Hello World)
In this lesson we will discuss hacking the basic Hello World program.
Today's Tutorial [May 3, 2026]
Lesson 177: ARM-64 Course (Part 14 - Hacking Boolean Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss hacking the boolean primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [May 2, 2026]
Lesson 176: ARM-64 Course (Part 13 - Debugging Boolean Primitive Datatype)
In this lesson we will discuss debugging the boolean primitive datatype.
Today's Tutorial [September 20, 2026]
Lesson 301: Embedded Hacking Course (Chapter 19: Hacking Double Floating-Point Data Type)
This chapter covers hacking the double floating-point data type as it relates to embedded development on the Pico 2.