Reverse Engineering a Smartwatch

Benjamen Lim shares his experience reverse engineering a smartwatch with geolocating capabilities that were no longer in use. The process involved examining the watch's surface and circuitry, reprogramming the smartwatch, and patching the firmware for repurposing. Initial observations revealed basic functionality like heart rate monitoring and time display. The PCB contained chips for Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular communication. By accessing exposed programming pins on the device's face, the firmware was successfully dumped and patched to redirect data to a controlled server. The process involved identifying and updating the IP address stored in the firmware. The project highlighted the unusual exposure of programming pins on the watch's face and the lack of firmware protection, making reprogramming feasible. The successful repurposing of the smartwatch showcased the value of reverse engineering in salvaging and reusing electronic devices that would otherwise go to waste, providing a meaningful outcome to the project.