IoT Security Testing
Hardware and firmware assessment of IoT devices, communication protocols, and embedded systems.
IoT Security Testing
IoT devices sit at the intersection of the physical and digital worlds, operating in environments where they cannot be easily patched, monitored, or replaced — yet they often carry sensitive data, control critical infrastructure, and communicate across your network. Intelliroot's IoT Security Testing service delivers a holistic, hardware-to-cloud assessment of connected devices and embedded systems, covering firmware extraction and analysis, hardware debug interface exploitation, radio protocol analysis, web management interface testing, and cloud back-end API security.
Our engineers bring specialist skills across embedded hardware, binary analysis, and radio-frequency security that are rarely found in traditional penetration testing teams. We have assessed medical devices, industrial control panels, smart building infrastructure, consumer electronics, and automotive telematics units. Whether your concern is a single product line pre-launch or a deployed fleet of devices across customer sites, we deliver a structured, evidence-backed assessment that gives your engineering team a clear understanding of the vulnerability landscape and a prioritised roadmap to remediation.
Why IoT Security Testing Cannot Be Deferred
Devices Are Deployed for Decades
Unlike software, IoT devices in the field may be running firmware from their manufacture date years or decades later. Security vulnerabilities discovered after deployment are expensive to remediate and may be impossible to patch on millions of distributed units. Pre-deployment testing is the only cost-effective control point.
Default Credentials Are Systemic
Factory-default usernames and passwords, hardcoded service accounts, and debug interfaces left active in production firmware remain among the most common and impactful findings in IoT assessments — and the easiest for attackers to exploit at scale using automated scanning.
Wireless Protocols Are Underprotected
MQTT brokers with no authentication, Zigbee networks with default link keys, BLE devices with unauthenticated pairing, and CoAP endpoints without DTLS are all regularly discovered in real-world deployments. Each represents a network entry point that exists entirely outside traditional IT security monitoring.
Physical Access Is a Realistic Threat
Many IoT deployments are in physically accessible locations — building corridors, industrial facilities, retail environments, or customer premises. An attacker with brief physical access to a device can extract firmware via UART, dump flash memory via SPI, or gain shell access via JTAG. Physical attack surface must be validated as part of any complete IoT assessment.
What We Test
Hardware & Physical Interfaces
- PCB teardown and component identification
- UART console access and shell extraction
- JTAG / SWD debug interface access and firmware dump
- SPI / I2C flash memory extraction
- Physical tamper resistance and enclosure analysis
Firmware Analysis
- Firmware extraction (via hardware interfaces or OTA capture)
- Binwalk-based filesystem and binary analysis
- Hardcoded credentials, keys, and secrets in firmware
- Vulnerable third-party components and open source libraries
- OTA update mechanism integrity and authenticity controls
Communication Protocols
- MQTT broker authentication and access control
- CoAP (DTLS) transport security
- Zigbee / Z-Wave key management and sniffing
- BLE pairing security and GATT service exposure
- Wi-Fi provisioning security and credential storage
Web Interface & Cloud Back-end
- Device web management interface (common web vulnerabilities)
- Mobile companion app security (OWASP MASVS)
- Cloud API security (OWASP API Top 10)
- Device registration and provisioning flow security
- Remote management and update authentication
Our Approach
Device Acquisition & Architecture Review
We begin with a review of available device documentation (datasheets, FCC filings, product manuals) and acquisition of the target hardware. An initial architecture review maps the device components, communication interfaces, and intended back-end integrations to create a structured test plan before any hands-on work begins.
Hardware Teardown & Interface Identification
The device is physically disassembled and the PCB is examined under magnification to identify exposed debug interfaces (UART, JTAG, SWD, SPI, I2C) and key components (SoC, flash memory chips, radio modules). Test points are probed and pinouts are determined using oscilloscope analysis and continuity testing.
Firmware Extraction & Static Analysis
Firmware is extracted via the most accessible route — UART console, JTAG debug interface, SPI flash dump, or OTA update capture. The extracted firmware is analysed with Binwalk, Ghidra, and custom scripts to identify credentials, cryptographic keys, vulnerable binaries, and insecure build configurations.
Dynamic Analysis & Runtime Testing
Where a firmware emulation environment can be established (using QEMU or native hardware), we perform dynamic analysis — fuzzing network services, testing authentication mechanisms, and attempting privilege escalation within the device OS. Active UART / shell sessions allow direct runtime interrogation of a running device.
Protocol & Network Analysis
All device communications are captured and analysed: wireless protocols (BLE, Zigbee, Wi-Fi) are monitored using SDR and specialist radio tooling; IP-based protocols (MQTT, CoAP, HTTP) are intercepted and tested for authentication, authorisation, and injection vulnerabilities. Cloud back-end APIs are assessed in parallel.
Reporting & Engineering Debrief
All findings are documented with photographic evidence of hardware interfaces, binary analysis screenshots, protocol captures, and CVSS 3.1 scores. A live debrief with your hardware and firmware engineering team translates findings into actionable changes for the next firmware release or hardware revision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Deliverables
Executive Summary Report
A clear risk narrative of your device's security posture across hardware, firmware, communications, and cloud back-end — suitable for product security governance, board reporting, and pre-launch security sign-off.
Technical Findings Report
Comprehensive documentation of all findings with photographic hardware evidence, binary analysis outputs, protocol captures, CVSS 3.1 scores, and specific remediation guidance tailored to your device's technology stack and architecture.
Hardware Analysis Documentation
High-resolution PCB photographs, interface pinout diagrams, component identification tables, and annotated board images documenting all physical attack surfaces identified during hardware teardown.
Firmware Security Analysis Report
A dedicated firmware analysis output including Binwalk results, identified credentials and secrets, vulnerable component inventory (CVE-mapped), and binary hardening assessment (NX, ASLR, stack canaries, PIE).
Secure Development Recommendations
Firmware hardening guidelines, secure boot implementation guidance, OTA update security patterns, and protocol configuration recommendations — written for your embedded engineering team with references to relevant IEC 62443 and NIST IoT security standards.
Re-test & Attestation Letter
A complimentary re-test of critical and high findings in the next firmware release or hardware revision, with a signed security attestation letter confirming remediation status for regulatory submissions and product certification purposes.
Request a Security Assessment
Tell us about your environment and security objectives. We'll design a bespoke assessment and deliver a detailed proposal within 48 hours.