The Hack@DAC Story - Learnings from Organizing the World's Largest Hardware Hacking Competition

Explore the insights and learnings from organizing Hack@DAC, the world's largest hardware hacking competition, in this 43-minute conference talk from Black Hat. Gain valuable perspectives on how Hack@DAC differs from other hardware CTFs and understand its significance for the broader security community. Discover the unique challenges of hardware vulnerability research and the importance of open-source hardware designs in mirroring real-world system-on-chip security features. Learn about the strategies employed in organizing the competition over seven years, including target design selection, security feature implementation, and vulnerability insertion. Understand the two-phase competition structure and its impact on fostering diverse skill sets and cross-organizational collaboration. Delve into the broader implications of hardware CTFs for industry, academia, and security researchers, and explore how such competitions contribute to community building and skill development in the rapidly evolving field of hardware security.