BSidesDFW 2020 Hardware Hacking Village

With a global pandemic happening, virtual conferences are the order of the day. This presents a challenge to any group that works with physical things. To overcome this challenge for the hardware hacking village I have put together hardware kits that will be made available to local DFW area hackers and have crafted content using the items in these kits. While this may not be the ideal setup for a hardware hacking village, I believe it will provide everyone who participates with the best possible experience under the circumstances.

How will this work

  • There will be 17 HHV videos posted on YouTube the Wednesday before BSidesDFW starts.
  • These will cover the nine presentations and eight labs described in the schedule below.
  • The HHV videos will be posted to the alt_bier_hacker YouTube channel.
  • Morning and Afternoon live video Q&A sessions will be scheduled during the day of the BSidesDFW con to help anyone struggling with the prerecorded content.
  • Electronics kits and N00b Tool kits have been built and distributed free to HHV participants. See kit details if you missed out and want to build your own kit.
  • There will be three contests with a prize for each. See contest details below for more information. CLICK HERE for the Contest Submission Form

HHV Content and Schedule

Here are the details of the content and schedule.

Prerecorded Content

This prerecorded content will be released to YouTube on Wednesday 11/4/2020

  • Electronics 101
    • Basic electronics overview including theory, circuit types, and various common components.
    • Presentation Deck: Electronics 101
    • Video
  • Learn How to Solder
    • Learn How to Solder with a presentation coupled with soldering by example. Step by step practice tasks take you from basic skills to making a circuit with soldered components. A Hands On Lab is included in this presentation.
    • Presentation Deck: Electronics Soldering Basics
    • Video
  • Arduino Development for Beginners
    • Arduino presentation with step by step practice tasks and code review. Learn to program several different circuits and program them using an Arduino. Several Hands On Labs are included in this presentation.
    • Presentation Deck: Arduino Development for Beginners v3
    • Video
  • Learn CircuitPython using the Adafruit Trinket M0
    • Learn to code with CircuitPython on the Adafruit Trinket M0 hardware development board with step by step practice tasks. Using several different circuits learn to control them with CircuitPython code examples for each. Several Hands On Labs are included in this presentation.
    • Presentation Deck: Learn CircuitPython on the Adafruit Trinket M0
    • Video
  • Working with NeoPixels
    • Working with NeoPixel digitally addressable LEDs by example with step by step practice tasks. In Hands On Labs you will learn how to build a circuit with a strip of NeoPixels and program it using Arduino code on the Nano and using CircuitPython code on the Trinket M0
    • Presentation Deck: Working with NeoPixels
    • Video
  • Introduction to the CH552G Microcontroller
    • Introduction and overview of the CH552G microcontroller. This is the IC that I have used in several badges including the BSidesDFW 2019 badge. This overview will provide all of the basic information for working with this microcontroller which has been included in the HHV Lab kit.
    • Presentation Deck: Intro to the CH552G Microcontroller
    • Video
  • Working with Surface-Mount Technology
    • Learn about Surface-Mount Technology components and how to work with them. We will detail the various package types and their nomenclature and review the processes to attach them to PCBs. A Hands On Lab is available for this presentation.
    • Presentation Deck: Working with Surface-Mount Technology
    • Video
  • Programming Firmware using Small Device C Compiler (SDCC)
    • Introduction to the Small Device C Compiler and a walk through of how to use it to write firmware for microcontrollers. The BSidesDFW 2019 badge and its CH552G microcontroller will be used as the platform for the example code.
    • Presentation Deck: Programming Firmware using SDCC
    • Video
  • PCB Design with the KiCad EDA
    • A walk though on how to design a Printed Circuit Board using the KiCad Electronic Design Automation (EDA) program and how to send that design to be manufactured.
    • Presentation Deck: PCB Design with KiCad
    • Video

BSidesDFW HHV Live Schedule

This is the live stream schedule for the BSidesDFW HHV on 11/7/2020

The live streams will be hosted on the alt_bier_hacker Twitch channel

In addition to the live streams, @alt_bier will be monitoring the #hardware_hacking channel of the BSidesDFW Discord server to answer questions and provide assistance.

Contest Details

There will be three HHV contests this year. All contests will require photo submission to a web form for judgement. Each contest will have a single prize winner.

Contestants can start working on their contest submissions at any time before the conference. CLICK HERE for the Contest Submission Form The submission form will not be open until the day of the conference on 11/7/2020 starting after opening ceremonies (~9:30AM) and will close again just prior to the contest Judging and Awards (~3:30PM).

Important Note: Participants can ONLY WIN ONE CONTEST. You can send in submissions to all three if you wish. In the case that a participant may be in a position to win more than one contest they will be asked their preference as to which one to proceed with and be placed 2nd in the other.

HHV Kit Details