In a recent episode of the InTechnology podcast, I spoke with Maggie Jauregui, a Hardware Security Researcher for Intel’s Security Threat Analysis and Reverse Engineering Team, or iSTARE, which has been written up in Wired Magazine. Maggie, who is also a member of Black Hat’s Review Board and President of Security BSides Portland, shares her insights on hardware attacks, her superpower, and creative ways to approach security.
Maggie recounts her early foray into hardware hacking, which involved using a walkie-talkie to induce current and disable the safety mechanisms of hair dryers. This experiment led her down the path of exploring how electromagnetic fields can affect electronic devices, even when they’re not plugged in.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the conversation is Maggie’s explanation of how hardware attacks can be both passive and active. She describes various methods, from using acoustics to extract keys to employing lasers for fault injection attacks. “Attacks are getting cheaper,” she warns, emphasizing the need for constant vigilance in the security field. She describes the “toothpick experiment,” where attackers can manipulate EPROM devices to erase and reprogram keys using household items. Maggie emphasizes that understanding the fundamental physics behind how matter works is crucial for both executing and defending against these attacks.
She also shares her thoughts on the evolution of technology and the role of security teams like iSTARE. “I always say that there’s no such thing as security, just varying degrees of insecurity. So what we’re trying to do is to raise the bar.”
Maggie Jauregui’s insights on the InTechnology podcast remind us that the intersection of joy, creativity, and technical expertise can lead to remarkable advancements in hardware security. Her work at Intel’s iSTARE lab and her contributions to the security community are shaping the future of technology.
