IOActive Senior Security Consultant Maxine Filcher will be running a workshop for the GrayHats Cybersecurity Club at the University of Washing Bothell’s Club Meeting, taking place February 6, in Bothell, WA. Maxine’s workshop will include discussions on the implications of security gaps with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), give members hands-on experience with tools, and dive into techniques that malicious actors use for exploitation across vectors.
Maxine’s Bio:
Maxine Filcher, UW Tacoma ’20 & ’22; GreyHat Group Tacoma VP ’19-’20, specializes in enterprise-scale wireless security, with deep expertise in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and Radio Frequency (RF) threat research. Her work focuses on identifying wide-scale security risks and building practical mitigation strategies that shape how organizations approach security. She has presented multiple talks and workshops at DEF CON and many other regional conferences. She is recognized as an industry leader and has even worked in collaboration with the Bluetooth SIG to improve the security of consumer devices at the protocol level.
Workshop Details:
Bluetooth has often been called “The Wild West” in terms of security. Since the regulating body, The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), has clearly stated that security is “optional” for device manufacturers, consumer devices utilizing the protocol face a significant and dynamic threat surface. In this workshop we’ll discuss the implications of security gaps in BLE, get hands-on with the tools, as well as dive into the techniques and processes malicious actors use for exploitation across vectors like unsecured GATT. All skill levels are welcome, and while it would be best to bring a Laptop (ideally Linux), even a five-year-old phone (preferably android) is enough to participate in the CTF and hands-on lessons.