Extracting a UART Password via SPI Flash Instruction Tracing
Summary
A detailed hardware security case study showing how to extract a UART password by tracing SPI flash reads in an 8051-based switch. The author uses a logic analyzer, a Python tool to map flash addresses to 8051 banks, and a custom gadget to dump the password, highlighting dynamic analysis techniques for embedded firmware without debug access. The piece discusses implications for defense and secure firmware design.