Thesis abstract

Managed-service providers often ask Level-1 technicians to stage FortiGate firewalls under tight change windows. FortressFlash addresses this usability gap with a self-contained, Raspberry Pi Pico–based appliance that lets L1 staff deliver a pre-vetted, version-controlled baseline configuration over UART—without a laptop—while embedding hardware-rooted security. The prototype couples a Waveshare RP2040-Plus, capacitive-touch display, and microSD storage with modular MicroPython firmware. Security primitives planned for Pico 2 W include signed/attested boot, OTP-sealed keys, and hardware SHA-256 acceleration.

⤓ Download thesis (PDF)

What you'll find here

  • Prototype design, firmware and security plans for a Raspberry Pi Pico–based deployer.
  • SD-backed, PIN-gated configuration workflow and prompt-paced serial dispatcher (firmware in progress).
  • Roadmap to migrate to Pico 2 W for signed boot, OTP, and hardware SHA-256 acceleration.

Files in this directory: karels_fortressflash_thesis_2025.pdf and karels_fortressflash_thesis_2025_sha256sum.txt.

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