Industrial Embedded Systems Hardware Penetration Testing

Unlock Offensive Hardware Security Skills with Tools and Tactics Tailored for the ICS/OT and IIoT Domain!

FOXGRID’s hands-on hardware hacking training for OT security engineers, hardware tinkerers, and motivated newcomers. Unlock vulnerabilities in real industrial devices—nothing toyish, just root access through PCB, firmware, and debug ports.

Why This Training Works

Industrial devices are secured at the network and protocol layers—but their hardware attack surface remains widely overlooked. Embedded components, PCBs, firmware, serial interfaces, and physical debug ports often hold the real keys to compromise.

If you’re an OT security professional, penetration tester, or hardware enthusiast ready to elevate your skillset, this training is your missing link. It teaches you how to think and act like an adversary at the hardware level—discovering hidden vulnerabilities that bypass traditional network defenses.


The Perfect Complement to Your Existing Skills

✅ Add specialized hardware hacking techniques to your portfolio

✅ Expand beyond network-focused tests into embedded system penetration

✅ Gain hands-on experience


 "Just got all required hardware for the course. The course is fantastic! You learn practical, valuable skills that future-proof your career in cyberspace." 

Jakub J
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
IESHPT Alumni

 "Detailed discussion on hardware penetration testing. Provides knowledge on various tools techniques and provides task for exploring the knowledge. Overall the course is good and meets the expectations." 

Thiyagaraj
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
 IESHPT Alumni

 "This is a simple and easy-to-understand course for learning UART debugging. The techniques we learn in this course apply not only to OT security testing but also to IoT security testing." 

Zarat
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
 IESHPT Alumni

Meet Your Instructor

Marcel — Automation Engineer
and Hardware Hacker

Marcel’s curiosity drove him deeper than networks—to the hardware attack surfaces most companies ignore. He’s probed firmware, debug ports, serial interfaces, and PCBs in industrial contexts to expose vulnerabilities that bypass network defenses. Now he’s teaching you how to do the same—safely, cheaply, and effectively. 

He holds CVE-2024-57790 for discovering a critical vulnerability in an OT remote access device that was only accessible through hardware hacking. His work exposed how the device stored plaintext root credentials inside factory firmware memory, a flaw that could give attackers full control. This hands-on research directly informs the hardware hacking methods taught in this training.

Who It’s Built For

This training was created for people who are ready to explore what’s under the surface—literally. Whether you’re an IT pro, OT engineer, hardware tinkerer, or career-switcher, if you’re motivated to learn, this is your gateway to the world of industrial hardware hacking. It doesn’t matter where you’re coming from. At FOXGRID, your curiosity is what counts.

👨‍💻 For IT Professionals:

Take your skills beyond the keyboard and get hands-on with the hardware that drives industrial systems.

This training connects your cybersecurity knowledge with embedded devices—showing how attackers extract firmware, access serial interfaces, and manipulate systems long before software defenses even come into play.

No soldering resume needed—just structured, practical lessons that give you insight into how hardware vulnerabilities in embedded devices can be discovered and exploited.

🤖 For Automation Professionals and Engineers:

You know how your systems work. Now learn how attackers break them—physically.

This training reveals the hidden side of your hardware, from debug ports and exposed pins to firmware backdoors and misconfigured interfaces. You’ll gain a fresh perspective on device security—one that goes beyond air gaps and network firewalls.

With practical case studies from real industrial equipment, you’ll come away with a deeper understanding of how to secure the systems you know best.

🧠 For Hardware-Curious Newcomers:

Ever wondered how hackers break into real devices—not just websites or apps? Start here.  

No experience in hardware or OT security? No problem. This training walks you through step by step: from identifying chipsets and test points, to extracting and analyzing firmware, all the way to finding potential vulnerabilities.

It’s hands-on, beginner-friendly, and built to help you develop serious hardware hacking skills—whether you’re aiming for a career in cybersecurity or just love tearing things apart (the smart way).

Does This Sound Like You?

This training is for you if…

✅ You want real, hands-on experience with industrial hardware—not just theory or slides.

✅ You’re curious how attackers physically interact with real-world devices—through PCBs, debug ports, and firmware extraction.

✅ You’re done with pentesting toy IoT gadgets and outdated home routers—you want to work on devices actually used in the field.

✅ You learn best by doing—probes in hand, multimeter on the table, firmware flashing.

✅ You want to build skills that combine engineering, curiosity, and offensive thinking.

✅ You’re ready to move beyond buzzwords and get into practical, real-world OT device hacking.


This training is not for you if…

❌ You expect a plug-and-play hacking simulator—this is real hardware, not a gamified lab.

❌ You only care about software exploits like RCEs or buffer overflows—this training is about physical and logical attack vectors.

❌ You’re uncomfortable doing some setup, light soldering, or basic electronics work.

❌ You want to sit back and “watch and forget”—this training is all about doing.

❌ You prefer handholding over exploration—this training challenges you to think and troubleshoot like an engineer.

Get your hacker hoodie and black hat ready - we are going to look at industrial hardware from an adversary perspective!

By the End of This Training, You’ll: 

✅ Understand the physical attack surface—PCBs, debug ports, serial interfaces, firmware, and more.

✅ Learn how real-world attackers gain access beyond the network—through hardware interfaces and firmware.

✅ Get hands-on with tools like multimeters, logic analyzers, flash programmers, and more.

✅ Develop your own structured workflow for hardware recon, signal tracing, and firmware extraction.

✅ Practice on simulated industrial hardware—mimicking IIoT gateways and communication servers.

✅ Gain confidence exploring undocumented systems and analyzing firmware.

✅ Build your own repeatable hardware hacking lab using affordable, open-source tools.

✅ Earn a certificate of completion and join a growing community of professionals in OT hardware security.

🚀 Build Your Portfolio:

This isn’t theory. You’ll build practical skills with real tools, real interfaces—and a custom-built industrial challenge device designed to push your learning further.

  1. Electrical Reconnaissance
  2. Logic Signal Analysis
  3. Serial Interface Reconnaissance
  4. Bootloader Exploitation
  5. Physical Modification
  6. Privilege Escalation & Root Access
  7. Firmware Analysis

Meet the ChronoGuard Challenge Board

✅ A low-cost ESP8266 microcontroller programmed to mimic real industrial IoT gateways and communication servers.

✅ Hands-on exercises cover electrical recon, signal and serial analysis, bootloader hacking, physical modifications, and gaining root access.

✅ Complete an end-to-end hardware hacking workflow that mirrors real-world industrial scenarios.

Watch this 2 minute introduction and learn how the Challenge Board stands out:

What’s Inside the Training?

This training is a hands-on journey into the real OT attack surface—engineered for learners who want depth, realism, and structure. This is just a high-level overview. Scroll down to preview the full curriculum with 125+ lessons on FOXGRID.

Section 1 - 3 : Getting Started

✅ Introduction to key tools and devices.
✅ Build and prep your hands-on hacking lab with the Challenge Board.  

Section 4: Circuit Board Recon

✅ Identify and analyze PCB components on real-world devices.
✅ Use AI tools and datasheets for hardware reconnaissance.

Section 5: Electrical Recon

✅ Apply basic electrical theory to identify voltages and ground.
✅ Perform live analysis on industrial hardware and the Challenge Board.

Section 6 - 7: Signal and Serial Recon

✅ Use logic analyzers to capture and interpret digital signals.
✅ Explore UART and SPI interfaces for device communication.

Section 8 - 9: Exploring the Boot Environment

✅ Analyze boot messages for insights into device operation.
✅ Identify potential and trigger entry points for deeper system access.  
 
Section 10: Analyzing Flash Memory & Gaining Root

✅ Dump and inspect non-volatile memory to extract secrets.
✅ Recover credentials and escalate to root access.

Section 11 - 12: Firmware Analysis

✅ Extract firmware directly or use OSINT to find online versions.
✅ Use Binwalk and Firmwalker to dissect firmware.

⚠️ What You’ll Need to Get Started ⚠️

To make the most of the hands-on exercise in this training, ensure you meet the following requirements:

✅ Windows 10 or 11 with admin rights to install and run Oracle VirtualBox

✅ At least 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended for optimal performance)  

✅ A stable internet connection for streaming and downloads

✅ Willingness to invest $35 for essential tools and equipment.

✅ Chrome web browser for flashing the firmware

⚠️ Important Note on Safety & Expectations ⚠️

⚠️ Always prioritize electrical safety. Do not interact with live systems and follow electrical safety best practises.

⚠️ Ensure your USB Logic Analyzer is compatible with Saleae Logic 2.
 
⚠️ Some interfaces may be undocumented or disabled — success is not guaranteed, and that’s part of the real-world challenge.

⚠️ This training does not teach soldering, but a basic level of hardware craftsmanship and tool handling is recommended.

 What About Hardware Costs?

This training is built to be practical — not expensive. Whether you’re testing the waters or building out a full lab, it's easy and flexible to get started:

Minimal Setup (Start Here)

Perfect for beginners and budget-conscious learners  

✅ ESP8266 NodeMCU Board  
✅ USB-UART Interface

Total cost: Typically under $15

Default Setup (Recommended)

For a full hands-on experience

✅ ESP8266 NodeMCU Board  
✅ USB-UART Interface
✅ Basic Multimeter  
✅ USB Logic Analyzer

Total cost: Approx. $35

Expanded Lab Setup (Optional)

For learners who want to build a long-term hardware hacking lab

✅ ESP8266 NodeMCU Board  
✅ USB-UART Interface
✅ Basic Multimeter  
✅ USB Logic Analyzer
✅ Flash Programmer + SOIC8 Clamp
✅ Precision Bits Set
✅ Prying and Opening Tools

Total cost: Approx. $60 

A full shopping list is provided inside the training. All tools are widely available online — no special vendors or restricted components.

Unsure where to start?
Pick the right setup for your goals — watch this 2-minute walkthrough.

Get Certified with FOXGRID

When you complete this training, you’ll receive a FOXGRID Certificate of Completion – a verifiable digital credential you can share with employers, clients, and your professional network.

✅ Showcase your expertise on LinkedIn

✅ Strengthen your CV and stand out in job applications

✅ Demonstrate hands-on skills in real-world OT cybersecurity

✅ Join a growing community of certified FOXGRID professionals  

Ready to Learn Industrial Hardware Hacking the Right Way?

No fluff. No filler.
Just hands-on, offensive hardware security training—designed by an OT professional, for you.
Click here to enroll:

Full Curriculum

Ready to Get Started?

128 lessons, 4.5+ hours of content, 6.0+ hours of practical exercises.
Click here to enroll:

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