Data Extraction from Flash Memory and Reverse Engineering Using Xilinx 7 Series FPGA Boards.

In this paper, we introduce a general methodology of reverse engineering for Xilinx FPGA devices using flash memory for programming. Based on the structural analysis of the flash memory used for the most recent 7-Series FPGA, data extraction for reverse engineering is carried out targeting the flash memory with the help of a logic analyzer. The accuracy of the extracted bitstream is finally verified using the in-house reverse engineering tool.