About ToughDev

I build software, services and firmware, then follow difficult problems into the operating system, network or hardware when needed. I prefer fixes that are testable, maintainable and clearly documented.

Java · Python · C/C++ Spring · Tomcat · Node.js PostgreSQL · MySQL · MongoDB Linux · Docker · Kubernetes ARM · PIC · STM32 · ESP32 Ghidra · WinDbg · Wireshark

How I work

Production ownership

I have owned product families from implementation through release, deployment and production support, including legacy modernisation and secure integrations.

Cross-layer debugging

I trace failures through application code, databases, networks, operating systems, firmware and physical interfaces instead of stopping at the first boundary.

Evidence and handover

I test on real systems and document constraints, failed assumptions and reproducible steps so the next engineer can continue the work.

Embedded systems Reverse engineering Retro computing APIs & integrations Desktop & mobile apps VoIP Technical writing

Recognition

Assembled dsMP3 circuit board featured by Hackaday

Featured on Hackaday dsMP3 all-band radio dsPIC33 · Si4735 · recording and playback A custom radio combining embedded hardware, firmware, audio processing and removable storage.

IPC365 CCTV camera circuit board used for firmware and serial investigation

Reverse engineering the 360Eyes Pro camera

This investigation begins with a consumer CCTV camera whose documented features and network behaviour did not match the hardware. Serial access exposed U-Boot, which enabled firmware extraction and a controlled path into the embedded Linux system.

From there the article follows binary inspection, configuration recovery, RTSP troubleshooting and patching needed to restore useful access and enable hidden services. It brings together bootloader access, filesystem analysis, network traces and application behaviour in one practical investigation.

U-Boot access, firmware extraction and embedded Linux analysis
Binary patching and RTSP network troubleshooting
A reproducible recovery path supported by hardware and software evidence

Read the full article

Selected work

Talk Machine voice message received through the email workflow

Product analysis

Trying Talk Machine

Hands-on analysis of a voice-first AI product, including onboarding, transcript refinement, email voice notes and web audio playback.

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PC emulation

Super 8086 Box

A C/C++ PC XT emulator with storage, interrupts, AdLib audio, MPU-401 MIDI, joystick and NE2000 networking.

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Completed JSP syntax highlighting configuration in IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition

Java tooling

JSP highlighting in IntelliJ IDEA

A focused investigation of file-type handling across JSP, Java, JSTL, HTML, CSS and JavaScript in Community Edition.

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Patched Inno Setup installer running on Windows for ARM

Compatibility engineering

Patching an Inno Setup installer for Windows ARM

Installer analysis and patching to make an x86-oriented package work correctly on Windows 11 ARM.

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InstallShield signing configuration used with DigiCert KeyLocker

Release engineering

DigiCert signing with InstallShield

Integrating cloud-backed code signing so both setup.exe and its bundled MSI are signed in a repeatable build workflow.

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Windows virtualization features used during the WSL crash investigation

Windows internals

Tracing a hard-to-find WSL crash

A cross-layer failure involving process hooks, code integrity, NTVDMx64, WSL, VMware and VirtualBox.

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Fascinating reads

Data · local AI · writing

What the metrics remember

“A metric is just a metric. What perhaps matters more is the purpose behind the metrics.”

Python, Pandas, Matplotlib and a local LLM turn nearly two decades of technical writing into a dataset that can be inspected rather than blindly trusted.

Read article Retro audio · drivers · memory

Pocket 386: AdLib, Covox and VGA

“It just didn’t sound the way I remembered it on my Tandy 1000.”

Driver testing and audio behaviour become a study of how memory, hardware constraints and careful listening influence engineering decisions.

Read article Compilers · IDEs · software history

Revisiting Borland Turbo C/C++

“I began to play with Turbo C extensively as part of an embedded system project at work.”

A historical article grounded in compiler behaviour, debugging tools, interface design and practical compatibility testing.

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Inspiring TV shows

Investigators studying an aircraft and a flight recorder in a hangar.

Failure analysis

Air Crash Investigation

Flight recorders, maintenance history and human factors are assembled into a system-level account of what failed and why.

Wikipedia

Fishing vessel crew working on deck in rough northern seas.

Engineering under pressure

Deadliest Catch

Machinery, weather, communications and operational judgement all matter when equipment has to keep working at sea.

Wikipedia

Wildlife researcher observing animals with a camera in the field.

Observation and field craft

Planet Earth

Patient observation, specialised imaging and careful explanation turn difficult field work into an understandable technical story.

Wikipedia

More projects

Visit toughdev.com for software, hardware, reverse-engineering and technical articles.

Contact

Let’s work together

Have a project, contract or technical challenge in mind? Tell me about it and I will get back to you.

Twitter @mrtoughdev