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CyberHardware

Vendor-neutral · no affiliate links

Security hardware, chosen like an engineer.

A field guide to the devices that hold your keys, prove your boot chain, isolate your lab and preserve evidence, with the selection criteria that matter before you buy.

Explore the mapRead the guides
topic areas
8
in-depth guides
9
glossary terms
13

U1–U8 · Topics

The security hardware map

Eight areas, from the key on your keyring to the probe on your bench. Each one explains what the device protects, what it does not, and how to pick one.

U1

Authentication hardware

FIDO2 security keys, passkeys and smart cards that stop phishing.

  • FIDO2
  • Passkeys
  • PIV

1 guide

U2

TPM & secure enclaves

TPM 2.0, secure and measured boot, and on-die key stores.

  • TPM 2.0
  • Secure Boot
  • Enclaves

1 guide

U3

HSMs & key management

Hardware security modules for PKI, code signing and payments.

  • FIPS 140-3
  • PKCS#11
  • Cloud HSM

1 guide

U4

Hardware wallets

The security model behind offline signing devices, explained.

  • Secure element
  • BIP-39
  • Air-gap

1 guide

U5

Network appliances & lab firewalls

Firewall boxes, managed switches and TAPs for an isolated lab.

  • Firewall
  • VLAN
  • Network TAP

1 guide

U6

Forensic acquisition hardware

Write blockers, imagers and Faraday kit for defensible evidence.

  • Write blocker
  • Imager
  • E01

1 guide

U7

Hardware research lab

Logic analyzers, debug probes and SDRs for defensive research.

  • UART
  • JTAG/SWD
  • SDR

2 guides

U8

Selection & supply chain

Certifications, provenance and lifecycle: how to buy security gear.

  • Certifications
  • Provenance
  • Lifecycle

1 guide

Before you buy

Five questions for any security device

The same checks apply to a security key, an HSM or a write blocker. If a vendor cannot answer them, keep looking.

  1. Threat model

    Which attack does this device stop, and which ones are out of scope? Write it down before comparing products.

  2. Certification scope

    A certificate covers one module, one firmware version and one configuration. Check that yours matches the certified one.

  3. Provenance

    Buy from the manufacturer or an authorized channel, inspect packaging, and verify attestation or serials where possible.

  4. Firmware lifecycle

    Can it be updated, are updates signed, and how long is the support window? Non-updatable can be a feature or a liability.

  5. Recovery path

    Plan the spare, the backup and the documented recovery procedure on day one, not after the first lost device.

/guides

Latest guides

All guides
U1 · Authentication hardware
FIDO2 security keys and passkeys: how to choose
How FIDO2, WebAuthn and CTAP stop phishing, the difference between device-bound and synced passkeys, and the criteria that matter when buying hardware keys.
#fido2#passkeys#webauthn#mfa
U6 · Forensic acquisition hardware
Forensic write blockers and disk imagers: a buyer's guide
Hardware versus software write blocking, standalone imagers, NIST CFTT testing, SSD and NVMe pitfalls, HPA/DCO checks and a validation routine for your own acquisition kit.
#forensics#write-blocker#disk-imaging#evidence
U7 · Hardware research lab
Building a hardware security research bench
The equipment for assessing embedded devices you own or are authorized to test: power and measurement, logic analyzers, UART adapters, JTAG/SWD probes, SPI flash readers, and the defenses they reveal.
#hardware-hacking#uart#jtag#logic-analyzer
U4 · Hardware wallets
How hardware wallets protect keys: the security model
A security-engineering look at hardware wallets: seed generation, secure elements versus microcontrollers, trusted displays, air-gapped signing, supply-chain attacks and backup design.
#hardware-wallet#secure-element#key-management#supply-chain
U3 · HSMs & key management
Choosing an HSM: FIPS 140-3, PKCS#11 and form factors
A practitioner's guide to HSMs: what FIPS 140-3 levels actually certify, PKCS#11 and other APIs, network, PCIe, USB and cloud HSMs, quorum controls and key ceremonies.
#hsm#fips-140-3#pkcs11#pki
U8 · Selection & supply chain
Security hardware buying checklist for practitioners
A vendor-neutral method for selecting security hardware: what FIPS 140-3, Common Criteria and FIDO certifications prove, supply-chain checks on delivery, firmware policy, spares and secure disposal.
#procurement#supply-chain#certification#fips-140-3

Editorial line

How we write about hardware

  • Vendor-neutral

    No affiliate links, no sponsored placements and no invented prices. Products are named only when they illustrate a category.

  • Threat model first

    Every device is described by what it defends against, what it cannot defend against and what it costs you in operations.

  • Defensive by design

    Lab content is about assessing and hardening devices you own or are authorized to test, never about attacking other people's.

/glossary

Speak the language

Short, precise definitions of the terms that show up on datasheets and certificates.

Open the glossary