8-Year Hardware Reverse Engineering Course Reveals Key Insights for Educators

A team of researchers led by Zehra Karadağ at a major European research university has published lessons from eight years of teaching hardware reverse engineering (HRE) to junior undergraduates. The course, refined over nine iterations from 2017 to 2025, targets the critical shortage of HRE experts needed to detect supply chain threats in integrated circuits (ICs). The curriculum covers digital circuit analysis and extraction from ICs, using hands-on assignments that evolve with the rapidly changing semiconductor landscape. A number of alumni have subsequently entered the HRE workforce, demonstrating the program’s real-world impact.

The paper distills key design priorities for educators developing courses in fast-moving technological domains. These include iterative course growth, balancing depth with breadth, maintaining relevance without overwhelming students, and managing instructor workload. The authors provide actionable insights—such as how to structure labs, choose tools, and assess student progress—that can be adapted for other emerging fields like AI security or quantum computing. For tech professionals, this work highlights the growing importance of hardware security education and the structured approach needed to build talent pipelines in specialized areas.