Investigating Foreign Tech from Online Retailers
Recon Village @ DEF CON 33 • 8th, 9th and 10th August 2025
Abstract
We live in a time where we can buy practically anything online. It's very tempting to buy cheap products online, including electronics. While saving money can be great, what are we really getting here? Where did it really come from, is it safe to use, and what is really going on behind the scenes? Let's find out!
In this talk, we'll track the supply chain of a foreign smartwatch on Amazon using various OSINT techniques. After going down the rabbit hole, we’ll perform a hardware/software breakdown with automated and manual analyses (and further OSINT based on our findings). By the end of the talk, you will have a better understanding of some of the tools and processes you can use for performing your own due diligence.
Speaker
VP Cyber Solutions at Sequoia
Michael Portera is the Vice President of Cyber Solutions at Sequoia, Inc. In this role, Michael contributes heavily to Sequoia’s cybersecurity initiatives and serves as a key advocate for the company’s cutting-edge cloud solutions across the national security sector. Michael spent eight years in Big Four consulting (KPMG and Deloitte), where he delivered IT and cybersecurity services to both public and private sector clients. He later worked as a Red Team Operator and, in 2020, founded a cybersecurity firm that was acquired in 2023. In 2020, he founded a cybersecurity company, which he sold in 2023. He has presented at major conferences and contributes to open-source projects when time allows. Outside of work, he’s a proud girl dad (x2), enjoys video games, vacations with his family, and board games with friends.
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