VVZ API is not affiliated with ETH Zurich. Data might be outdated or incorrect. Please view the official ETHZ Vorlesungsverzeichnis for binding information.

227-0579-00L 8 Credits DR , MSC , NDS D-ITET , D-INFK
You're viewing possible stale or outdated data. Please check the latest semester for more up-to-date information.

Hardware Security

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Kaveh Razavi
VVZ CR 3.33

Last Updated: 2026-06-01 11:30:51

Abstract

This course covers the security of commodity computer hardware (e.g., CPU, DRAM, etc.) with a special focus on cutting-edge hands-on research. The aim of the course is familiarizing the students with hardware security and more specifically microarchitectural and circuit-level attacks and defenses through lectures and implementing some of these advanced attacks.

Objective

By the end of the course, the students will be familiar with the state of the art in commodity computer hardware attacks and defenses. More specifically, the students will learn about: - security problems of commodity hardware that we use everyday and how you can defend against them. - relevant computer architecture and operating system aspects of these issues. - hands-on techniques for performing hardware attacks. This is the course where you get credit points by building some of the most advanced exploits on the planet! The luckiest team will collect a Best Demo Award at the end of the course.

Resources

Literature

Slides, relevant literature and manuals will be made available during the course.

General Information

Language
English
Levels
DR , MSC , NDS
Frequency
Yearly recurring

Examination

Type
graded semester performance
This course has a continuous performance assessment. The final grade is composed of the grades given to the practical assignments, and two oral assessments that are based on the practical assignments and the contents of the lectures. The dates of the oral assessments are announced during the first lecture.The students who do not wish to receive a grade (including a no-show) must deregister from by the end of the 2nd week of the semester.The practical assignments contribute to the 60% of the the final grade and the oral assessments to the other 40%. The practical assignments are graded based on the correctness and quality of the produced code and the oral assessments based on the correctness of the answers and the quality of presentations given during the assessments. To pass the course, the students need to pass the practical assignments and the oral assessments independently.

Registration & Places

Max Places
60

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
lecture Hardware Security
There will be an informal demo session in the last week of the course. The details will be announced later.
  • Tue 14:15-16:00 (ETZ E 6)
2 h weekly
exercise Hardware Security
On Oct. 30 and Dec. 11, the sessions will go one hour extra (from 10:00 until 13:00) and will be held in ETZ G71.2.
  • Thu 10:15-12:00 (CAB G 51)
  • 30.10 Date 12:15-13:00 (ETZ G 71.2)
  • 11.12 Date 12:15-13:00 (ETZ G 71.2)
2 h weekly
independent project Hardware Security
Project Work, no fixed presence required.
No time listed 2 h weekly

Offered In