The Rising Importance Of Iot Penetration Testing

By Author: kedar naik
Total Articles: 8
Comment this article

The Internet of Things (IoT) includes all such products connected to the internet or each other. Any and every product which requires connection to a network, home or office to perform its function falls under this domain. Not just that, even cars themselves have now become a component of the IoT since they exchange data with the manufacturer from time to time. IoT technology is making things easier for individuals, but the question that needs answering is, how secure is this technology?

Like every other area of technology, IoT devices too are vulnerable to the same kind of attacks from cybercriminals. Testing and securing IoT systems has thus become essential. Therefore, to identify vulnerabilities and secure them before they are exploited, your IoT products and network must undergo a thorough IoT penetration testing.

According to a Gartner report, about 20 billion IoT devices will be connected by 2020. It includes dedicated physical objects that are embedded with the technology to enable interaction with the internal or external environment. The rise in IoT technology has endless possibilities and can have a ...
... positive impact on the world. However, with a growth in the number of IoT devices, there will also be an exponential increase in the risk factors.

Rise in IoT risk and attacks

Observing the climbing IoT attacks, Symantec’s 2019 Internet Security Threat Report, reports the following observances:

A 600 % increase in IoT attacks between 2016 and 2017.
A rise in IoT attacks against industrial controls systems (ICS)
Approximately 5,200 attacks per month on an average
Mirai emerged as the third most common IoT threat in 2018

The software with IoT devices seldom gets in-depth testing and thus has its own set of security issues. Once operational and connected, it brings together a vast range of appliances, devices and applications installed into home and business networks, making it a ripe ground for hacking.

How is IoT penetration testing performed?

IoT penetration testing methodology begins with the mapping of the IoT solution’s entire attack layer. It is then followed by detecting the vulnerabilities and exploitation avenues, supported by post-exploitation. The whole experiment concludes with a detailed technical report.

Surface Mapping:

Surface mapping is the first and the most critical step in IoT penetration testing procedure. It involves mapping all the various entry positions that a cybercriminal could exploit in an IoT system solution.

This is a beneficial step in the IoT penetration testing process as it allows you to understand the complete structure of the IoT solution. At the same time, it helps you set up different tests that you would run on the product based on priority. The various sections of IoT that come under surface mapping tests include:
Embedded devices
Firmware, software and applications
Communication

Analyzing hardware:

This step consists of both internal and external analysis of all the hardware devices connected to the IoT network.

Preparing reports:

Preparing a comprehensive report with both technical and non-technical details, along with an executive summary, is the final step in IoT penetration testing. It provides all the documents, code snippets, proof of concepts and various techniques of manipulation. It also categorizes the vulnerabilities based on the criticality of the service and the user use scenario.

Thus, to conclude, we can say that the importance of IoT penetration testing will only keep rising as the number of IoT devices keep expanding. It is essential to ensure that IoT systems are secure for the safety of their users.