Dynamic modification of embedded devices internal firmware for solve reverse engineering problems

Uzenkov, D.A.; Vlasov, A.I.; Fatkhutdinov, T.M.; Gladkikh, A.A.

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Dynamic modification of embedded devices internal firmware for solve reverse engineering problems

Authors

Date of publication

2021

DOI

10.31114/2078-7707-2021-2-63-69

Abstract

The paper discusses about embedded devices firmware dynamic modification in reverse engineering. The features of storing embedded devices internal firmware are briefly considered. Usage of dynamic data modification in solving various problems of electronic devices reverse engineering is proposed. The described method has an advantage over static modification methods in terms of implementation speed and modification data correction, which stored in the device ROM. The main attention is paid to the dynamic data modification device architecture with a parallel asynchronous interface. Possibilities of using programmable logic integrated circuits for dynamic modification of data storage devices and solving problems of reverse engineering are shown. The main problem of the methods for modifying electronic devices internal firmware is that they do not suppose data changes in the device storage component during its operation, i.e. are static. This is a consequence of using approach of "direct" data modification, which implies a real change in the amount of energy stored in a memory cell. The authors proposed a strategy of "dynamic approach using a programmable logic integrated circuit", which allows to eliminate the above problem. The structure of the system using the proposed strategy of dynamic modification of the system data based on the programmable logic integrated circuit allows modifying the data of the storage device transmitted via the communication interface from the storage device to the executing component without physically interfering with the state of the permanently stored data of the internal software and, as a consequence, using various modification configurations during one cycle of operation of the back-developed device. The proposed method for dynamic modification of internal software data is implemented in a hardware-software complex embedded in the gap between the read-only memory and the executing components of the device. It allows you to transfer pre-prepared data in lieu of the actual response of the storage device. The target response message of the storage device is determined in binary form during preliminary configuration. The method can be used to solve various problems when debugging software algorithms of an embedded electronic device in a dynamic mode.

Keywords

data modification, dynamic data modification, dynamic debug, reverse engineering, programmable logic integration circuit, embedded devices, embedded systems, embedded systems research, embedded devices internal firmware modifications, embedded devices internal firmware patch, memory modifications in non-volatile memory devices.

Library reference

Uzenkov D.A., Vlasov A.I., Fatkhutdinov T.M., Gladkikh A.A. Dynamic modification of embedded devices internal firmware for solve reverse engineering problems // Problems of Perspective Micro- and Nanoelectronic Systems Development - 2021. Issue 2. P. 63-69. doi:10.31114/2078-7707-2021-2-63-69

URL of paper

http://www.mes-conference.ru/data/year2021/pdf/D010.pdf