How Can IoT Pentesting Protect Your Private Data?

Look around you, and you’ll likely find Internet of Things (IoT) devices everywhere: from the smartphones in our pockets to wearable technology on our wrists and even household appliances and industrial equipment.

The IoT can be described as any tool featuring a network of interconnected physical devices that communicate and exchange data via the internet. But of course, anything connected to the internet poses a risk, and unfortunately, IoT devices raise security concerns as well. That makes pentesting an important way to keep personal data safe.

How Risky Are IoT Devices?

The convenience and innovation of IoT devices come with a significant risk: security.

For instance, a report by IoT Security Foundation stated that the vulnerability disclosure practice remains at 27.1 percent, and many consumer IoT companies are still not taking basic steps to maintain their product security. Another eye-opening report conducted by Netgear and Bitdefender revealed that home networks see an average of eight attacks against devices every 24 hours. Most exploited IoT devices are victims of denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.

So how can we balance the benefits of IoT devices with the pressing need for robust security? Here’s where IoT pentesting comes in.

What Is IoT Pentesting?

First of all: what is penetration testing? Imagine your computer system or network as a fortress. Penetration testing, or “pentesting,” is like conducting a practice attack on that fortress to find weak spots.

Pentesting is done by pretending to be a cyberattacker; an expert then discovers security holes and flaws. Once they find these weaknesses, they can fix or strengthen them, so real attackers can’t take advantage.

Similarly, IoT penetration testing is like the practice attack on the fortress, specifically for smart devices and how they talk to each other and the internet. There are pros and cons to pentesting to consider, of course.

IoT penetration testers use some clever techniques to find flaws, including: reverse-engineering the firmware (i.e. taking apart the device to see how it works and if it can be picked); analyzing network traffic (watching all the traffic going in and out of the network and verifying if there’s anything suspicious); and exploiting vulnerabilities in IoT web interfaces, in an attempt to find a weak spot in your IoT device security that might let an attacker sneak in.

Through these techniques, the testers identify security flaws like unencrypted data, unsecure firmware, weak passwords, improper authentication, or access control, and fix them to ensure that your smart devices’ private information stays safe.

How Is IoT Pentesting Carried Out?

Whether you’re a business owner with a network of smart devices or an individual with a smart home system, understanding how IoT penetration testing works is important to your private data and digital security.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to what the process looks like, from the perspective of an IoT pentester.

1. Planning and reconnaissance: Penetration testers acquire data about the target system, and examine the various IoT devices in use, their connectivity, and the security precautions in place. It’s comparable to listing every item in a structure in great detail before deciding how to safeguard it.
2. Vulnerability scanning: This step is responsible for finding all the security flaws. The IoT device or network is scanned using specialized tools to look for exploits such as improper settings or access control issues. This step identifies all security vulnerabilities through which an intruder could enter.
3. Exploitation: Once the weaknesses are found, it’s time to see how bad they are. Testers will try to use these to get into the network, just like a real attacker would. It’s a controlled attack to see how far they can get using the same tricks and tools a real hacker might use.
4. Post-exploitation: Assume that the testers are inside after discovering a security vulnerability. They will search the area to see what else they can access, looking for other weaknesses or obtaining personal information. This may involve installing malware for tracking purposes or copying crucial documents for data exfiltration.
5. Reporting and corrective action: The penetration testers assume the role of security consultants after the process and deliver a complete report of their findings. This will include the faults they discovered, the extent of the simulated attack, and what has to be done to fix the problems. It’s an approach to boosting security customized to specific IoT devices and networks.

Is It Necessary to Perform IoT Pentesting?

IoT pentesting helps understand and address the vulnerabilities, and by doing so regularly, you can enjoy the convenience of your connected IoT devices with peace of mind, knowing that they’re as secure as possible. It’s about protecting IoT devices and safeguarding your personal data or business information.

Primarily, IoT pentesting ensures that personal information stored on smart devices remains secure and out of reach from potential hackers. This is just as important for companies, as IoT pentesting safeguards critical business data and intellectual property by identifying and fixing vulnerabilities in interconnected devices. By identifying weak passwords and improper authentication on IoT devices, IoT pentesting helps prevent unauthorized users from accessing that sensitive information.

Further to that, by preventing potential breaches, pentesting can save individuals and businesses from financial loss due to fraud or theft of sensitive information.

Through techniques like reverse engineering and network traffic analysis, IoT pentesting uncovers hidden flaws that attackers might otherwise exploit, helping to identify and mitigate security risks. Many consumer IoT companies do not maintain basic security; IoT pentesting helps increase your business reputation, aligning with best practices and regulatory requirements. There’s an added benefit to that too: for consumers and businesses alike, knowing that devices have been thoroughly tested for security flaws builds confidence in IoT technology.

And the detailed reports that come at the end of pentesting provide a roadmap for ongoing security enhancements on IoT devices, allowing people to plan strategically for their digital safety.

That’s why, for businesses at least, IoT pentesting should be performed at least once a year, though it largely depends on your own judgment and the number of IoT devices you own.

Complementary Strategies to IoT Pentesting

It’s easy to overlook security on IoT devices, yet it’s essential. Pentesting isn’t the only approach to securing IoT devices, though: the risk of privacy and data loss can be reduced through complementary strategies. These include installing software updates, network segmentation, firewalls, and regular third-party security audits.