OSCON2015, the O’Reilly Open Source Convention, just ended. In addition to Matthew’s TPM CloudOS talk, there were a few other interesting talks:
Building a trustworthy computer
Matthew Garrett (CoreOS)
As we become more and more reliant on our computers, attackers become more and more sophisticated. How can we build a computer that’s resilient to some of the more subtle attacks such as firmware modification?
http://cdn.oreillystatic.com/en/assets/1/event/129/Building%20a%20trustworthy%20computer%20Presentation.odp
Closed devices powered by open source software? The IoT Paradox.
Peter Hoddie (Marvell)
The Internet of Things is built on open source software, and yet the devices are far from open. This isn’t the future that free and open source contributors have been working toward. It’s a disappointment for the Open Source Community, but we can lead the way to freedom, transparency, and collaboration in IoT. And we must—to avert impending frustration for increasingly savvy consumers.
http://cdn.oreillystatic.com/en/assets/1/event/129/Closed%20devices%20powered%20by%20open%20source%20software_%20The%20IoT%20Paradox_%20Presentation.pdf
Hacking smart electronics
Robert Gallup (XOBXOB)
Prototypes allow us to see, touch, feel, and refine ideas and designs. Starting from zero, this hands-on workshop explores smart hardware prototyping using a micro-controller and basic electronic components. You’ll connect LEDs, buttons, and knobs, then program a micro-controller to define behavior. Through this you’ll better understand the tools and process of designing smart, connected products.
http://cdn.oreillystatic.com/en/assets/1/event/129/Hacking%20smart%20electronics%20Presentation.zip
http://robertgallup.github.io/get/OSCONCourseware.zip
Introduction to developing embedded Linux device drivers
Nick Gudman (Hewlett Packard)
Learning to develop device drivers can be intimidating, but Linux makes it simpler than ever to write your own device driver. Using a simple driver for a monochromatic character display as a guide, we will briefly explore important topics for developing embedded Linux device drivers.
http://cdn.oreillystatic.com/en/assets/1/event/129/Introduction%20to%20developing%20embedded%20Linux%20device%20drivers%20Presentation.odp
Ironic: A modern approach to hardware provisioning
Devananda van der Veen (HP Cloud)
Ironic is a modern tool for hardware provisioning. Combining a RESTful API, scalable control plane, and pluggable hardware drivers, Ironic installs operating systems efficiently and repeatably on diverse hardware. We will demonstrate Ironic with Ansible, install, build, and deploy a machine image, and discuss the project’s architecture, history, and goals. Deep knowledge is not required.
http://cdn.oreillystatic.com/en/assets/1/event/129/Ironic_%20A%20modern%20approach%20to%20hardware%20provisioning%20Presentation.pdf
Raspberry Pi hacks
Ruth Suehle (Red Hat), Tom “spot” Callaway (Red Hat)
Ruth Suehle and Tom Callaway, authors of _Raspberry Pi Hacks_ (O’Reilly, December 2013) offer technical tips for makers, hackers, and tinkerers who want to take advantage of the Raspberry Pi. You’ll learn universally useful things, like how to add a power switch, followed by a show-and-tell of fun things that Ruth and Tom as well as many others have built.
http://cdn.oreillystatic.com/en/assets/1/event/129/Raspberry%20Pi%20hacks%20Presentation.pdf
Using open source tools to secure containers and clouds
Derek Thurston (Booz Allen Hamilton)
Is your cloud secure? Is your cloud of containers secure? Security should be built-in from Day Zero, and not layered in as an afterthought. What open source tools are out there now to help you in your quest to not be on the front page of the news? How are all of the latest hacks happening, and how can we put tools in place to prevent these from happening again?
http://cdn.oreillystatic.com/en/assets/1/event/129/Using%20open%20source%20tools%20to%20secure%20containers%20and%20clouds%20Presentation.ppt
I’m sure there’re some other gems too, the above list is what caught my eye… Mr. O’Reilly, please make the video — or at least audio — publicly-available too, don’t just for post-conference proceedings!
http://www.oscon.com/open-source-2015/public/schedule/proceedings
Firmware Security 