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Why Embedded Systems Require Penetration Testing
Embedded systems combine tightly coupled hardware and software in constrained environments, often without mature security controls, isolation, or logging. Attack surfaces span not just firmware and communication layers, but also physical interfaces, trust anchors, and supply chain components.
Are often exposed in uncontrolled environments (field, industrial, public spaces)
May include undocumented or legacy components with unknown provenance
Commonly lack visibility and instrumentation needed for passive security monitoring
Require hardware-level access to validate assumptions around boot integrity, update trust, and secure storage
Embedded Penetration Testing Services We Provide
Our embedded systems penetration testing covers the full attack surface — from firmware to hardware interfaces:
Firmware Analysis & Reverse Engineering
We extract and reverse-engineer firmware binaries to identify hardcoded secrets, insecure logic, and known vulnerable components. This includes both static and dynamic analysis, with fuzzing where applicable.
Hardware Interface Testing (UART, JTAG, SPI)
We identify and exploit available debug ports to assess unauthorized access potential, privilege escalation vectors, and bypass of runtime controls.
Secure Boot and Firmware Update Validation
We validate the presence and enforcement of secure boot chains, image verification mechanisms, and firmware update protections to prevent unauthorized code execution.
Communication/Network Protocol Testing
We analyze communication between the embedded device and external systems (e.g., mobile apps, cloud services) for encryption strength, protocol misuse, and man-in-the-middle risks.
Embedded Software Penetration Testing
We test embedded applications (RTOS, Linux-based or bare-metal) for memory corruption, command injection, unsafe privilege handling, and other common software flaws.
Why Choose Iterasec for PCI DSS Penetration Testing
Standards and methodologies
- OWASP, OSSTM, MITRE, NIST
- CWE/SANS Top 25
- CIS Benchmarks
- Cloud security guidelines from
Manual approach
- Humans, not scanners do pentesting
- Going beyond simply following checklists
- Deep insights on security design and architecture
Keeping customers informed
- Delivery High and Critical findings as we find them
- Weekly reports
High-quality reporting
- Detailed reports
- Weekly status reports
- Attestation letter
- CSV export
Re-tests
- Retesting idenditied vulerabiltiies
- Providing an updated report
AI-optimised process
- Adding efficiency
- Secure and wise approach to AI/LLM usage
Embedded System Applications We Test
Embedded systems appear in nearly every sector, from safety-critical environments to consumer markets. Our penetration testing engagements frequently involve:
Transportation and mobility
from connected vehicles to intelligent transit infrastructure.
Healthcare and medical technology
including regulated medical devices and connected diagnostics.
Industrial and manufacturing environments
automation systems, control units, and monitoring devices.
Telecom and networking equipment
core infrastructure and specialised network hardware.
Consumer and commercial IoT
connected products, appliances, and smart environments.
Platform firmware and low-level components
legacy and UEFI BIOS, bootloaders, and BMC firmware.
Benefits of Embedded Systems Pentesting
Vulnerability discovery beyond source code
Identifies attack vectors present in compiled firmware and physical interfaces.
Hardware-rooted risk validation
Confirms whether physical or firmware-level access can lead to real-world compromise.
Improved product resilience
Reduces the likelihood of post-deployment security failures or costly recalls.
Faster regulatory approval
Supports security documentation and evidence for sectors requiring formal certification (e.g., automotive, medical).
Security assurance for partners and customers
Demonstrates maturity in supply chain security and device hardening.
Expert Cybersecurity Team
While certifications are necessary as a baseline, we go much deeper in building our expertise:
Rigorous recruitment process, where even candidates from large cybersecurity consulting firms fail
Expertise + certification, not the opposite
Continuous professional development and exchanging knowledge
Optimal approach to secure your business with Embedded Penetration Testing Services
Depending on the testing scope and input/data provided, embedded pentesting services can be done in black, white or gray box mode.
Black box pentest
The client provides no or minimum input, such as IP address or company/domain name. While it simulates real-world scenarios, commercial pentests are still quite limited with the time-box.
Suitable for:
- attack simulation
- read teaming
Gray box pentest
The client provides information about the system, such as test credentials or even documentation. No source code is provided. In most of the cases, this is the most optimal type.
Suitable for:
- most of the pentests
White box pentest
Full information is provided, including source code, system documentation, etc. The big benefit is that due to code access, pentesters can reveal security issues from the inside.
Suitable for:
- product or application-level pentests
- codebase security review
Discover All Steps How Iterasec Embedded Systems Penetration Testing Services Work
During our pentests, we follow established security testing frameworks such as the OWASP IoT and Firmware Security Testing Guidelines, NIST SP 800-115, and MITRE ATT&CK for ICS/IoT, complemented by other relevant industry standards. While we use selected automated tools for efficiency, the core of our work is manual, expert-driven analysis — ensuring practical, real-world security insights.
We keep clients informed throughout the engagement, providing regular status updates and immediate alerts for critical findings.
- 1A kick-off meeting to agree on the scope, inputs and communication
- 2Cloud pentest (2-5 weeks, depending on the scope)
- 3The final report that highlights the identified cloud security issues
Explore Our Sample Embedded Penetration Testing Report
Please contact us, and we will send you a sample report covering several applications.
Talk to usWhat Clients Say About Our Embedded Penetration Testing Services
“Iterasec delivered a detailed report, which identified vulnerabilities and included mitigations for each one. The team facilitated a smooth workflow through frequent communication. The team showed a keen interest in understanding our business.”
Discover All Our Cybersecurity Services
FAQ
We test a broad range of embedded systems, including IoT devices, medical hardware, automotive ECUs, industrial control systems, consumer electronics, and smart appliances. Whether running on bare metal, RTOS, or embedded Linux, we adapt our testing approach to your platform.
You will receive a comprehensive report including:
- Description of identified vulnerabilities and exploitation steps
- Root cause analysis and risk rating
- Reproduction details with testing artifacts
- Remediation guidance mapped to engineering context
- Optional retesting summary, if applicable
Testing duration depends on device complexity and scope. A standalone IoT sensor may take 5–7 days, while a multi-component system (e.g., gateway + embedded controller + cloud service) may require 3–4 weeks, including firmware reverse engineering and physical interface analysis.
Unlike enterprise systems, embedded devices are often deployed without regular patching, may lack endpoint protection, and are physically accessible to attackers. Embedded systems penetration testing ensures these devices can’t be trivially compromised, cloned, or used as pivot points.
Typical findings include:
- Hardcoded credentials
- Insecure firmware update logic
- Lack of secure boot
- Exposed debug interfaces
- Privilege escalation via improperly configured services
- Unencrypted or easily reversible communications
Related materials
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