IoT and OT Hacking
IoT and OT Hacking
What is IoT?
IoT (Internet of Things) refers to the network of physical devices, vehicles, appliances, and other
objects embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity, allowing them to collect, exchange, and
analyze data.
While hacking IoT devices is illegal and unethical, some individuals may exploit vulnerabilities for
various reasons. Potential "benefits" (from a hacker's perspective) include:
1. Data Theft: Accessing sensitive information like personal data, financial details, or private
communications.
2. Surveillance: Spying on users through connected cameras, microphones, or smart
devices.
3. Botnet Creation: Using compromised devices to form a botnet for launching cyberattacks
like DDoS.
4. Ransom: Locking devices or encrypting data and demanding a ransom for restoration.
5. Privilege Escalation: Gaining access to broader networks or systems through IoT
vulnerabilities.
These actions are illegal and highly harmful, violating privacy and security. Ethical hacking practices
focus on identifying and fixing vulnerabilities, not exploiting them.
1. Information Gathering
The first step involves extracting critical information about the target IoT devices, such as:
2. Vulnerability Scanning
Once the device's details are gathered, vulnerability scanning helps identify weaknesses in the IoT
system, including:
3. Launch Attacks
After identifying vulnerabilities, attackers move on to exploiting these weaknesses to launch specific
attacks, such as:
In this phase, attackers use discovered vulnerabilities to gain remote access to the IoT device.
This may involve turning the device into a backdoor, allowing the attacker to infiltrate
the network without being detected by traditional security measures like firewalls,
antivirus software, or Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS).
This access may be used to launch further attacks or gain access to internal systems.
5. Maintain Access
To ensure continued control over the compromised IoT device, attackers use several techniques: