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News: The Indian Army will soon operate six AASHVAST labs to inspect drones and, eventually, CCTV cameras for firmware-level vulnerabilities.
About AASHVAST Labs
- AASHVAST stands for Assessment and Analysis of Electronic Systems Hardware for Vulnerabilities and Security Threats.
- It is a firmware analysis and validation suite developed by QuickPay Pvt. Ltd. for the Directorate General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (DG EME).
- Objective: To detect firmware-level and embedded-system vulnerabilities and identify foreign-origin components in defence electronic systems, including those that may be misrepresented in procurement records.
- The Indian Army is establishing six AASHVAST labs across India; one has been inaugurated in Delhi.
- Initial focus: Army UAVs/drones, with other electronic systems such as CCTV cameras potentially covered later.
- Key capabilities:
- Detects hidden passwords, embedded keys and remote-access tools.
- Identifies foreign-origin components and proprietary protocols.
- Detects geospatial and time-based vulnerabilities that could affect drone operations.
- Identifies hidden or unused code that could cause malfunction or premature termination.
