Embedded devices have been a part of technology for many decades, even before the term “IoT” was invented by MIT in 1999. However, the distinction between “traditional” embedded devices and the new IoT devices is the legacy of design decisions and configurations that were not intended to be connected to the public internet. This lack of foresight from manufacturers has led to the widespread exploitation of IoT devices, resulting in some of the largest Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks in the world.
In recent years, IoT devices have received significant attention due to their widespread deployment, convenience, ease of use, and potential security risks. With the increasing popularity of IoT devices, concerns regarding safety, privacy, and security have also risen. The proliferation of these devices across various industry verticals, including consumer, entertainment, commercial, medical, industrial, energy, and manufacturing, has made it evident that both consumers and technology operators/owners are unable to adequately ensure the security of these devices. Additionally, relying on device manufacturers to provide security-by-design assurance is heavily reliant on the industry for which the device was intended.
As a result, it’s important to perform security testing on these devices to identify potential vulnerabilities and prevent them from being exploited by attackers. IoT penetration testing involves testing the security of IoT devices and networks, including the protocols and applications used by these devices.
There are some very specific areas of focus during IoT penetration testing including:
Device Firmware. This obviously means the testing of firmware on IoT devices.
Network Communication. This involves the testing of the communication between IoT devices and their servers.
Cloud-Based Platforms. Many IoT devices rely on cloud-based platforms for storage and processing of data. These platforms need to be tested to ensure that they’re secure and that there are no vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
Mobile Applications. Also, many IoT devices are controlled via mobile applications. These applications are as secure as any other mobile application and need to be tested according to current software testing standards.
Data Privacy. IoT devices often collect sensitive data, such as personal information and usage data. Consequently, applicable data privacy standards need to be implemented and verified.
IoT penetration testing is closely related to Cloud Penetration Testing and Mobile Application Penetration Testing. Also, please note that IoT penetration testing is an essential part of Securing Critical Infrastructure.