OBJECTIVE 03 — IoT HACKING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
WHAT IS IoT HACKING (EXAM DEFINITION)
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| IoT Hacking | The process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in IoT devices, firmware, protocols, and backend systems |
MEMORY HOOK:
Device + Firmware + Network + Cloud
IoT HACKING PHASES (EXAM FLOW)
| Phase |
|---|
| Reconnaissance |
| Scanning |
| Gaining access |
| Maintaining access |
| Covering tracks |
MEMORY HOOK:
Find → Scan → Break → Stay → Hide
DEVICE-LEVEL HACKING TECHNIQUES (CRITICAL)
PHYSICAL INTERFACE ATTACKS (NEW TERMS EXPLAINED)
JTAG — DETAILED EXPLANATION (VERY IMPORTANT)
WHAT IS JTAG
| Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
| JTAG | A hardware debugging interface used to test, debug, and program embedded devices |
WHY JTAG EXISTS
-
Designed for manufacturing and debugging
-
Allows low-level access to CPU and memory
WHY JTAG IS DANGEROUS
| Capability | Result |
|---|---|
| Read memory | Extract firmware |
| Write memory | Modify firmware |
| Control execution | Bypass authentication |
HOW ATTACKERS USE JTAG
-
Open IoT device casing
-
Locate JTAG pins on PCB
-
Connect JTAG debugger
-
Dump firmware or memory
-
Extract credentials or keys
MEMORY HOOK:
JTAG = hardware root shell
UART — DETAILED EXPLANATION
WHAT IS UART
| Item | Explanation |
|---|---|
| UART | Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter, used for serial communication |
WHY UART IS DANGEROUS
| Risk |
|---|
| Debug console access |
| Login prompt exposure |
| No authentication |
ATTACK FLOW
-
Identify UART pins
-
Connect USB-to-TTL adapter
-
Access serial console
-
Obtain root shell
MEMORY HOOK:
UART = hidden console
CHIP-OFF ATTACK (NEW)
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Chip-off attack | Physically removing memory chip to extract data |
USED WHEN
-
JTAG/UART disabled
-
Firmware encrypted poorly
MEMORY HOOK:
Chip removed = data exposed
FIRMWARE-LEVEL HACKING (EXAM FAVORITE)
FIRMWARE — CORE DEFINITION
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Firmware | Software programmed into non-volatile memory that controls device behavior |
FIRMWARE ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES
| Technique | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Firmware extraction | Obtain firmware image |
| Static analysis | Analyze code without execution |
| Dynamic analysis | Run firmware in emulator |
| Reverse engineering | Understand logic |
MEMORY HOOK:
Firmware = device brain
FIRMWARE EXTRACTION METHODS
| Method |
|---|
| JTAG |
| UART |
| Flash memory dump |
| OTA update interception |
| Vendor website |
COMMON FIRMWARE VULNERABILITIES
| Vulnerability |
|---|
| Hardcoded credentials |
| Insecure update mechanism |
| Backdoors |
| Debug code left enabled |
| Weak encryption |
MEMORY HOOK:
Hardcoded creds never change
NETWORK-LEVEL IoT HACKING TECHNIQUES
PROTOCOL ANALYSIS (EXAM CRITICAL)
MQTT — EXPLANATION RECAP
| Aspect | Explanation |
|---|---|
| MQTT | Lightweight publish/subscribe protocol |
| Broker | Central message hub |
| Topic | Channel for messages |
ATTACKS ON MQTT
| Attack |
|---|
| Subscribe without auth |
| Publish fake messages |
| Broker takeover |
MEMORY HOOK:
No auth MQTT = open mic
CoAP — EXPLANATION
| Aspect | Explanation |
|---|---|
| CoAP | Lightweight HTTP-like protocol |
| Runs over | UDP |
ATTACKS
| Attack |
|---|
| Amplification |
| Replay |
| Spoofing |
MEMORY HOOK:
UDP = spoofable
IoT SCANNING & DISCOVERY TOOLS (EXAM TOOLS)
SHODAN (VERY IMPORTANT)
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Shodan | Search engine for Internet-connected devices |
WHAT SHODAN FINDS
| Finds |
|---|
| Open ports |
| IoT devices |
| Default credentials |
| Firmware versions |
MEMORY HOOK:
Shodan = Google for devices
CENSYS
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Censys | Internet-wide asset discovery |
NMAP (IoT USE)
| Command | Purpose |
|---|---|
| nmap -sV | Service detection |
| nmap -p | Port scanning |
MEMORY HOOK:
Scan before exploit
IoT EXPLOITATION FRAMEWORKS
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Metasploit | Exploit IoT vulnerabilities |
| RouterSploit | Router exploitation |
| ExploitDB | Vulnerability database |
MALWARE & BOTNET TOOLS
IoT MALWARE BEHAVIOR
| Behavior |
|---|
| Scans network |
| Brute-forces credentials |
| Downloads payload |
| Connects to C2 |
COMMON BOTNET EXPLOIT METHODS
| Method |
|---|
| Telnet brute force |
| SSH brute force |
| Web interface exploit |
MEMORY HOOK:
Telnet = IoT graveyard
CLOUD & BACKEND IoT HACKING TECHNIQUES
| Technique |
|---|
| API fuzzing |
| Token abuse |
| Cloud misconfiguration |
| Credential reuse |
OBJECTIVE 03 — EXAM MEMORY BLOCK
IoT hacking targets hardware, firmware, protocols, and cloud services.
JTAG and UART expose low-level access.
Firmware contains credentials and backdoors.
Protocols like MQTT and CoAP are often unauthenticated.
Shodan reveals exposed devices.
OBJECTIVE 03 — STATUS
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| JTAG explained | COMPLETE |
| UART explained | COMPLETE |
| Firmware hacking | COMPLETE |
| Network attacks | COMPLETE |
| Tools | COMPLETE |
| Exam alignment | EXACT |