Designing a Hardware Reverse Engineering Course: Lessons from Eight Years in a Rapidly Evolving Tech Domain
2026-06-02 • Computers and Society
Computers and SocietyCryptography and Security
AI summaryⓘ
The authors developed a course to teach students how to analyze and extract digital circuits from integrated circuits, a skill important for detecting security risks in electronics manufacturing. They have refined this course over nine years for junior undergraduates at a European university. By reviewing how the course evolved, the authors share lessons on organizing and running tech courses in fast-changing fields. They highlight the importance of improving the course step-by-step and keeping the workload manageable for everyone involved.
Integrated CircuitsHardware Reverse EngineeringDigital Circuit AnalysisSupply Chain SecurityCourse DesignIterative DevelopmentUndergraduate EducationTechnology CurriculumWorkload Management
Authors
Zehra Karadağ, René Walendy, Carina Wiesen, Christof Paar, Nikol Rummel, Steffen Becker
Abstract
Integrated Circuits (ICs) are omnipresent, yet their globalized manufacturing process remains vulnerable to supply chain threats. Hardware Reverse Engineering (HRE) is essential for detecting such threats and re-establishing trust; however domain experts remain scarce due to a lack of educational programs. To contribute educational insights in this critical and rapidly evolving technology domain, we present our HRE course focusing on digital circuit analysis and digital circuit extraction from ICs. The course targets junior-level undergraduates at a major European research university. The curriculum has been refined over nine iterations (2017-2025), with several alumni subsequently pursuing careers in the HRE field. By reflecting on the evolution of the course organization, content, and assignments, we derive key lessons learned. We further distill these insights into actionable design priorities for educators developing courses in rapidly evolving technological domains, emphasizing iterative growth and sustainable workload management for both students and instructors.