Hands-on Learning of Hardware and Systems Security - Spring 2021 Volume 9 Number 2

Oct 15, 2026

Hardware security is a core research and education area in security, centered on identifying attacks and countermeasures for electronic “root-of-trust” hardware that underpins the software stack. Due to growing dependence on electronic devices, security threats in everyday technologies have increased, yet students often lack accessible, low-cost platforms for hands-on hardware-level learning. This paper presents a course, “Hands-on Hardware Security,” and the “HaHa SEP” module supporting ethical hacking via custom experiments, alongside course evaluation outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages25

Reading Time1 h 3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

What is Hardware Security?

Course and Module Overview

HaHa SEP Hardware Hacking Security Education Platform

Experiments and Educational Significance

Conclusion and Course Evaluations

| | Ad | vances in Engineering Edu | cation | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SPRING 2021 VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2 Hands-on Learning of Hardware and Systems Security SHUO YANG SHUBHRA DEB PAUL AND SWARUP BHUNIA Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA [Email: shubhra.paul@ufl.edu](Email: shubhra.paul@ufl.edu) ABSTRACT Hardware security is one of the most researched areas in the field of security. It focuses on discovering and understanding attacks and countermeasures for electronic hardware that provides the “root-of-trust”for modern computing systems upon which the software stack is built. The increasing reliance on electronic devices in our everyday life has also escalated the risks of experiencing security threats on these technologies. Students today are exposed to these devices and thus require a hands-on learning experience to be aware of the threats, solutions, and future research challenges in hardware security. Currently, there are limited opportunities for students to learn and understand hardware security. A significant factor limiting exposure to these topics is the lack of an accessible, low-cost, flexible, and ready-made platform for training students on the innards of a computing system and the spectrum of security issues/solutions at the hardware-level. In this paper, we introduce the motivation and efforts behind a course named “Hands-on Hardware Security.” The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Florida has been offering this course for the past three years in providing experiential learning of hardware security through a set of well-designed experiments performed on a custom hardware module. We also present, in detail, the idea of a custom-designed, easy-to-understand, flexible hardware module with fundamental building blocks that can emulate a computer system and create a network of connected devices. We refer to the module as “HaHa SEP”(Hardware Hacking Security Education Platform), and it encourages students to learn and exercise “ethical hacking,” a critical concept in the hardware security field. It is the first and only known lab course offered online, where students can perform ethical hacking of a computing system using a dedicated hardware module. This paper also provides a brief introduction to the experiments performed using this module, highlighting their significance in the field of Hardware Security. Finally, it concludes with a compilation of course evaluation survey results discussing the success of this course in engaging students’ interest in the subject matter and determining the accomplishment of maintaining a balance between their expectation and the effort required towards the course. SPRING 2021 VOLUME 9 NUMBER 2 1 ADVANCES IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION Hands-on Learning of Hardware and Systems Security Key words: Hardware and Systems Security, Hands-on Learning, Experiential Learning INTRODUCTION What is Hardware Security? Hardware and systems security has become an essential part of advanced computer science education in recent times. As a result, such a growth of cyber-infrastructure in modern society has escalated the need for its security. Hardware security elucidates the study of vulnerabilities and countermeasures in the architecture, implementation, and validation of modern electronic systems. It has evolved in parallel along with hardware design, and it forms an integral component in computer security research (Bhunia [et. al](et. al)., 2018; [Tehranipoor](Tehranipoor et. al)[ et. al](Tehranipoor et. al)., 2011) . Compared to the study of software security, which has been analyzed and deployed in various applications, hardware security is relatively new because the hardware has traditionally been considered immune to attacks and hence formed the trust anchor or root-of-trust of a system. However, cyber-security experts an

FAQs

Why is hands-on learning important for hardware security education?

Hardware security requires students to understand attacks and countermeasures at the hardware level, but opportunities are limited by the lack of accessible, low-cost, flexible training platforms.

What course and platform does the paper introduce?

The paper introduces the course “Hands-on Hardware Security” and a dedicated custom hardware module called “HaHa SEP” (Hardware Hacking Security Education Platform).

How does the proposed platform support student learning?

HaHa SEP enables students to perform ethical hacking using a set of well-designed experiments on a custom module that emulates a computing system and connected devices.

Oct 15, 2026

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