Founded in 2005, Adam Engineering is South Africa's oldest firmware reverse engineering company and, to our knowledge, the only one that specialises in automotive. We pair that with long-standing experience in penetration testing, red teaming and ethical hacking.
Six areas of work. Pick one to see how it works, step by step.
Automotive control unit analysis and disassembly
Every modern vehicle is run by control units, and what they hold is locked away. We work out how to reach it.
We analyse a specific control unit for the information required to access its flash or other memory through the diagnostic port, where that is possible. With the level of access found, we work to reach the basic commands, download data and upload data, that read and write bytes in flash and EEPROM.
What we examine
The control unit itself: its memory, its diagnostic port and the level of access it allows.
What you end up with
A working route into the unit's flash and EEPROM, so its data can be read and written.
Where it is used
Diagnostics, tuning and tool development, where a control unit has to be read or reprogrammed.
When the documentation is missing, wrong or was never written, the device itself becomes the documentation. We read it for you.
Reverse engineering deduces design decisions from an end product with little or no knowledge of how it was originally made. Starting from a raw binary, we disassemble the code, recover its structure and work out what the device does and how it communicates.
Binary disassembly
Raw bytes turned back into readable instructions.
Structure and function
Code and data analysis, recovering structure and connections, functions and operating modes.
Protocols
Schematic analysis to determine how the device transfers and processes data.
396 algorithms extracted so far. If a control unit asks for a key, there is a good chance we already know how it is made, or can find out.
Seed-key security is used by some communication protocols to protect ECU functions from unauthorised access. The ECU sends a seed, and the tool must turn it into the right key using a secret algorithm before access is granted. We analyse and disassemble those algorithms.
Across makes
Ford, Mercedes-Benz, VW and Audi, PSA, Fiat, Opel, Land Rover and Jaguar, Porsche, trucks and more.
Beyond the key
Many entries also cover EEPROM read and write, PIN display, flash access or diagnostics.
Not on the list?
Ask. The published list is a sample of what we have worked on.
Attackers will not wait for you to be ready. We find the weaknesses in your applications, servers and networks first, prove which ones are real, and show you how to close them.
The best way to secure your computing networks is to take on a trusted partner whose core business is staying ahead of the criminal hacking community. We use security tools and techniques to identify design flaws and determine whether your code or servers are vulnerable.
Penetration testing
Also called ethical hacking. A controlled, authorised attack on a defined target, such as a web application or a network. We look for as many exploitable weaknesses as we can, confirm which are real, and rank them by risk.
Red teaming
A penetration test asks what is vulnerable. A red team asks whether a determined attacker could reach what matters most, and whether you would notice. It tests your people, processes and detection as well as your technology.
Cyber forensic auditing
When something has gone wrong, or you suspect it has, we examine the systems involved to establish what happened, how it happened and what was affected.
Which one do you need? Start with a penetration test if you want to know where you are exposed. Choose a red team exercise once the basics are in place and you want to test your defences as a whole. Call for a forensic audit after an incident.
How it works
Web applicationCodeServersNetwork
Scanning for design flaws and vulnerable systemsRunning a real-world attack simulationThreats mitigated, platform secured
Web application securedServers securedNetwork secured
We do not only analyse control units. We build the tools that talk to them.
Adam Engineering is a development house specialising in the design and development of automotive tools. The range runs from handheld diagnostic scanners to a flasher that needs no PC, and we can create custom firmware tailored to a client's needs.
Diagnostic tools
Read and clear fault codes, view live data and test components.
Blockchain projects fail on design long before they fail on code. We help you get the design right.
We specialise in the development, integration and maintenance of blockchain technology, working across industries from finance and government to logistics. Our consultancy offers clients the latest in strategy, innovation and blockchain adoption, to help them stay competitive.
Strategy and adoption
Where blockchain fits your organisation, and where it does not.
Architecture
Design work on smart contracts and distributed systems.
Risk validation
We validate structure and implementation risks with the most suitable experts for the task.
No algorithm matches that search. Email us and ask about your control unit.
Automotive tools
Tools designed and developed in-house.
Diagnostic tools
Tuning tools
PIN code reading tools
Key adaptation tools
What reverse engineering is
Reverse engineering is the process of discovering the technological principles of a device, object or system through analysis of its structure, function and operation.
It often involves taking something apart, whether a mechanical device, an electronic component or a software program, and analysing its workings in detail. The result is used in maintenance, or to make a new device or program that does the same thing without copying anything from the original.
The purpose is to deduce design decisions from end products with little or no additional knowledge of how they were originally produced. The same techniques are now applied to legacy software systems, to replace incorrect, incomplete or otherwise unavailable documentation.
From the blog
Notes from the bench.
Reverse engineering the VW online key programming function
ECU data and flashing with Google Glass
UAV development
Ford Ranger 3.2 TDCi
Request a quote
Tell us about the control unit, tool or system you need help with. You are only a moment away from quality service and advice.
