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A curated list of awesome embedded and IoT security resources.
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A curated list of awesome embedded and IoT security resources.

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# Awesome Embedded and IoT Security [![Awesome](https://awesome.re/badge.svg)](https://awesome.re)



> A curated list of awesome resources about embedded and IoT security. The list contains software and hardware tools, books, research papers and more.



Botnets like [Mirai]() have proven that there is a need for more security in embedded and IoT devices. This list shall help beginners and experts to find helpful resources on the topic.  

If you are a beginner, you should have a look at the _Books_ and _Case Studies_ sections.  

If you want to start right away with your own analysis, you should give the _Analysis Frameworks_ a try.

They are easy to use and you do not need to be an expert to get first meaningful results.



> Items marked with :euro: are comercial products.



## Contents



- [Software Tools](#software-tools)

  - [Analysis Frameworks](#analysis-frameworks)

  - [Analysis Tools](#analysis-tools)

  - [Extraction Tools](#extraction-tools)

  - [Support Tools](#support-tools)

  - [Misc Tools](#misc-tools)

- [Hardware Tools](#hardware-tools)

  - [Bluetooth BLE Tools](#bluetooth-ble-tools)

  - [ZigBee Tools](#zigbee-tools)

  - [SDR Tools](#sdr-tools)

  - [RFID NFC Tools](#rfid-nfc-tools)

- [Books](#books)

- [Research Papers](#research-papers)

- [Case Studies](#case-studies)

- [Free Training](#free-training)

- [Websites](#websites)

  - [Blogs](#blogs)

  - [Tutorials and Technical Background](#tutorials-and-technical-background)

  - [YouTube Channels](#youtube-channels)

- [Conferences](#conferences)

- [Contribute](#contribute)

- [License](#license)



## Software Tools



Software tools for analyzing embedded/IoT devices and firmware.



### Analysis Frameworks



- [EXPLIoT](https://gitlab.com/expliot_framework/expliot) - Pentest framework like Metasploit but specialized for IoT.

- [FACT - The Firmware Analysis and Comparison Tool](https://fkie-cad.github.io/FACT_core/) - Full-featured static analysis framework including extraction of firmware, analysis utilizing different plug-ins and comparison of different firmware versions.

  - [Improving your firmware security analysis process with FACT](https://passthesalt.ubicast.tv/videos/improving-your-firmware-security-analysis-process-with-fact/) - Conference talk about FACT :tv:.

- [FwAnalyzer](https://github.com/cruise-automation/fwanalyzer) - Analyze security of firmware based on customized rules. Intended as additional step in DevSecOps, similar to CI.

- [HAL – The Hardware Analyzer](https://github.com/emsec/hal) - A comprehensive reverse engineering and manipulation framework for gate-level netlists.

- [HomePWN](https://github.com/ElevenPaths/HomePWN) - Swiss Army Knife for Pentesting of IoT Devices.

- [IoTSecFuzz](https://gitlab.com/invuls/iot-projects/iotsecfuzz) - Framework for automatisation of IoT layers security analysis: hardware, software and communication.

- [Killerbee](https://github.com/riverloopsec/killerbee) - Framework for Testing & Auditing ZigBee and IEEE 802.15.4 Networks.

- [PRET](https://github.com/RUB-NDS/PRET) - Printer Exploitation Toolkit.

- [Routersploit](https://github.com/threat9/routersploit) - Framework dedicated to exploit embedded devices.



### Analysis Tools



- [Binwalk](https://github.com/ReFirmLabs/binwalk) - Searches a binary for "interesting" stuff, as well as extracts arbitrary files.

- [cwe\_checker](https://github.com/fkie-cad/cwe_checker) - Finds vulnerable patterns in binary executables - ELF support for x86, ARM, and MIPS, experimental bare-metal support.

- [emba](https://github.com/e-m-b-a/emba) - Analyze Linux-based firmware of embedded devices.

- [Firmadyne](https://github.com/firmadyne/firmadyne) - Tries to emulate and pentest a firmware.

- [Firmwalker](https://github.com/craigz28/firmwalker) - Searches extracted firmware images for interesting files and information.

- [Firmware Slap](https://github.com/ChrisTheCoolHut/Firmware_Slap) - Discovering vulnerabilities in firmware through concolic analysis and function clustering.

- [Ghidra](https://ghidra-sre.org/) - Software Reverse Engineering suite; handles arbitrary binaries, if you provide CPU architecture and endianness of the binary.

- [Radare2](https://github.com/radare/radare2) - Software Reverse Engineering framework, also handles popular formats and arbitrary binaries, has an extensive command line toolset.

- [Trommel](https://github.com/CERTCC/trommel) - Searches extracted firmware images for interesting files and information.



### Extraction Tools



- [FACT Extractor](https://github.com/fkie-cad/fact_extractor) - Detects container format automatically and executes the corresponding extraction tool.

- [Firmware Mod Kit](https://github.com/rampageX/firmware-mod-kit/wiki) - Extraction tools for several container formats.

- [The SRecord package](http://srecord.sourceforge.net/) - Collection of tools for manipulating EPROM files (can convert lots of binary formats).



### Support Tools



- [JTAGenum](https://github.com/cyphunk/JTAGenum) - Add JTAG capabilities to an Arduino.

- [OpenOCD](http://openocd.org/) - Free and Open On-Chip Debugging, In-System Programming and Boundary-Scan Testing.



### Misc Tools



- [Cotopaxi](https://github.com/Samsung/cotopaxi) - Set of tools for security testing of Internet of Things devices using specific network IoT protocols.

- [dumpflash](https://github.com/ohjeongwook/dumpflash) - Low-level NAND Flash dump and parsing utility.

- [flashrom](https://github.com/flashrom/flashrom) - Tool for detecting, reading, writing, verifying and erasing flash chips.

- [Samsung Firmware Magic](https://github.com/chrivers/samsung-firmware-magic) - Decrypt Samsung SSD firmware updates.



## Hardware Tools



- [Bus Blaster](http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Blaster) - Detects and interacts with hardware debug ports like [UART](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_asynchronous_receiver-transmitter) and [JTAG](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JTAG).

- [Bus Pirate](http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate) - Detects and interacts with hardware debug ports like UART and JTAG.

- [Shikra](https://int3.cc/products/the-shikra) - Detects and interacts with hardware debug ports like UART and JTAG. Among other protocols.

- [JTAGULATOR](http://www.grandideastudio.com/jtagulator/) - Detects JTAG Pinouts fast.

- [Saleae](https://www.saleae.com/) - Easy to use Logic Analyzer that support many protocols :euro:.

- [Ikalogic](https://www.ikalogic.com/pages/logic-analyzer-sp-series-sp209) - Alternative to Saleae logic analyzers :euro:.

- [HydraBus](https://hydrabus.com/hydrabus-1-0-specifications/) - Open source multi-tool hardware similar to the BusPirate but with NFC capabilities.

- [ChipWhisperer](https://newae.com/chipwhisperer/) - Detects Glitch/Side-channel attacks.

- [Glasgow](https://github.com/GlasgowEmbedded/Glasgow) - Tool for exploring and debugging different digital interfaces.

- [J-Link](https://www.segger.com/products/debug-probes/j-link/models/model-overview/) - J-Link offers USB powered JTAG debug probes for multiple different CPU cores :euro:.



### Bluetooth BLE Tools



- [UberTooth One](https://greatscottgadgets.com/ubertoothone/) - Open source 2.4 GHz wireless development platform suitable for Bluetooth experimentation.

- [Bluefruit LE Sniffer](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2269) - Easy to use Bluetooth Low Energy sniffer.



### ZigBee Tools



- [ApiMote](http://apimote.com) - ZigBee security research hardware for learning about and evaluating the security of IEEE 802.15.4/ZigBee systems. Killerbee compatible.

- Atmel RZUSBstick - Discontinued product. Lucky if you have one! - Tool for development, debugging and demonstration of a wide range of low power wireless applications including IEEE 802.15.4, 6LoWPAN, and ZigBee networks. Killerbee compatible.

- [Freakduino](https://freaklabsstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=22&products_id=219&zenid=fpmu2kuuk4abjf6aurt3bjnfk4) - Low Cost Battery Operated Wireless Arduino Board that can be turned into a IEEE 802.15.4 protocol sniffer.



### SDR Tools



- [RTL-SDR](https://www.rtl-sdr.com/buy-rtl-sdr-dvb-t-dongles/) - Cheapest SDR for beginners. It is a computer based radio scanner for receiving live radio signals frequencies from 500 kHz up to 1.75 GHz.

- [HackRF One](https://greatscottgadgets.com/hackrf/) - Software Defined Radio peripheral capable of transmission or reception of radio signals from 1 MHz to 6 GHz (half-duplex).

- [YardStick One](https://greatscottgadgets.com/yardstickone/) - Half-duplex sub-1 GHz wireless transceiver.

- [LimeSDR](https://www.crowdsupply.com/lime-micro/limesdr) - Software Defined Radio peripheral capable of transmission or reception of radio signals from 100 KHz to 3.8 GHz (full-duplex).

- [BladeRF 2.0](https://www.nuand.com/bladerf-2-0-micro/) - Software Defined Radio peripheral capable of transmission or reception of radio signals from 47 MHz to 6 GHz (full-duplex).

- [USRP B Series](https://www.ettus.com/product-categories/usrp-bus-series/) - Software Defined Radio peripheral capable of transmission or reception of radio signals from 70 MHz to 6 GHz (full-duplex).



### RFID NFC Tools



- [Proxmark 3 RDV4](https://www.proxmark.com/) - Powerful general purpose RFID tool. From Low Frequency (125kHz) to High Frequency (13.56MHz) tags.

- [ChamaleonMini](http://chameleontiny.com/) - Programmable, portable tool for NFC security analysis.

- [HydraNFC](https://hydrabus.com/hydranfc-1-0-specifications/) - Powerful 13.56MHz RFID / NFC platform. Read / write / crack / sniff / emulate.



## Books



- 2020, Fotios Chantzis, Evangel Deirme, Ioannis Stais, Paulino Calderon, Beau Woods: [Practical IoT Hacking](https://www.amazon.com/Fotios-Chantzis-ebook/dp/B085BVVSN6/)

- 2020, Jasper van Woudenberg, Colin O'Flynn: [The Hardware Hacking Handbook: Breaking Embedded Security with Hardware Attacks](https://nostarch.com/hardwarehacking)

- 2019, Yago Hansen: [The Hacker's Hardware Toolkit: The best collection of hardware gadgets for Red Team hackers, Pentesters and security researchers](https://github.com/yadox666/The-Hackers-Hardware-Toolkit/blob/master/TheHackersHardwareToolkit.pdf)

- 2019, Aditya Gupta: [The IoT Hacker's Handbook: A Practical Guide to Hacking the Internet of Things](https://www.apress.com/us/book/9781484242995)

- 2018, Mark Swarup Tehranipoor: [Hardware Security: A Hands-on Learning Approach](https://www.elsevier.com/books/hardware-security/bhunia/978-0-12-812477-2)

- 2018, Mark Carney: [Pentesting Hardware - A Practical Handbook (DRAFT)](https://github.com/unprovable/PentestHardware)

- 2018, Qing Yang, Lin Huang [Inside Radio: An Attack and Defense Guide](https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-10-8447-8)

- 2017, Aditya Gupta, Aaron Guzman: [IoT Penetration Testing Cookbook](https://www.packtpub.com/networking-and-servers/iot-penetration-testing-cookbook)

- 2017, Andrew Huang: [The Hardware Hacker: Adventures in Making and Breaking Hardware](https://nostarch.com/hardwarehackerpaperback)

- 2016, Craig Smith: [The Car Hacker's Handbook: A Guide for the Penetration Tester](https://nostarch.com/carhacking)

- 2015, Keng Tiong Ng: [The Art of PCB Reverse Engineering](https://visio-for-engineers.blogspot.com/p/order.html)

- 2015, Nitesh Dhanjan: [Abusing the Internet of Things: Blackouts, Freakouts, and Stakeouts](https://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920033547.do)

- 2015, Joshua Wright , Johnny Cache: [Hacking Wireless Exposed](https://www.mhprofessional.com/9780071827638-usa-hacking-exposed-wireless-third-edition-group)

- 2014, Debdeep Mukhopadhyay: [Hardware Security: Design, Threats, and Safeguards](https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429066900)

- 2014, Jack Ganssle: [The Firmware Handbook (Embedded Technology)](https://www.elsevier.com/books/the-firmware-handbook/ganssle/978-0-7506-7606-9)

- 2013, Andrew Huang: [Hacking the XBOX](https://nostarch.com/xboxfree)



## Research Papers



- 2020, Oser et al: [SAFER: Development and Evaluation of an IoT Device Risk Assessment Framework in a Multinational Organization](https://dl.acm.org/doi/abs/10.1145/3414173)

- 2019, Agarwal et al: [Detecting IoT Devices and How They Put Large Heterogeneous Networks at Security Risk](https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/19/4107)

- 2019, Almakhdhub et al: [BenchIoT: A Security Benchmark for the Internet of Things](https://nebelwelt.net/publications/files/19DSN.pdf)

- 2019, Alrawi et al: [SoK: Security Evaluation of Home-Based IoT Deployments](https://alrawi.github.io/static/papers/alrawi_sok_sp19.pdf)

- 2019, Abbasi et al: [Challenges in Designing Exploit Mitigations for Deeply Embedded Systems](https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8806725)

- 2019, Song et al: [PeriScope: An Effective Probing and Fuzzing Framework for the Hardware-OS Boundary](https://www.ndss-symposium.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/ndss2019_04A-1_Song_paper.pdf)

- 2018, Muench et al: [What You Corrupt Is Not What You Crash: Challenges in Fuzzing Embedded Devices](http://www.eurecom.fr/en/publication/5417/download/sec-publi-5417.pdf)

- 2017, O'Meara et al: [Embedded Device Vulnerability Analysis Case Study Using Trommel](https://resources.sei.cmu.edu/library/asset-view.cfm?assetid=509271)

- 2017, Jacob et al: [How to Break Secure Boot on FPGA SoCs through Malicious Hardware](https://eprint.iacr.org/2017/625.pdf)

- 2017, Costin et al: [Towards Automated Classification of Firmware Images and Identification of Embedded Devices](http://s3.eurecom.fr/docs/ifip17_costin.pdf)

- 2016, Kammerstetter et al: [Embedded Security Testing with Peripheral Device Caching and Runtime Program State Approximation](https://www.thinkmind.org/download.php?articleid=securware_2016_2_10_30082)

- 2016, Chen et al: [Towards Automated Dynamic Analysis for Linux-based Embedded Firmware](https://www.dcddcc.com/docs/2016_paper_firmadyne.pdf)

- 2016, Costin et al: [Automated Dynamic Firmware Analysis at Scale: A Case Study on Embedded Web Interfaces](http://s3.eurecom.fr/docs/asiaccs16_costin.pdf)

- 2015, Shoshitaishvili et al:[Firmalice - Automatic Detection of Authentication Bypass Vulnerabilities in Binary Firmware](https://www.ndss-symposium.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/11_1_2.pdf)

- 2015, Papp et al: [Embedded Systems Security: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attack Taxonomy](http://www.cse.psu.edu/~pdm12/cse597g-f15/readings/cse597g-embedded_systems.pdf)

- 2014, Zaddach et al: [Avatar: A Framework to Support Dynamic Security Analysis of Embedded Systems' Firmwares](http://www.eurecom.fr/en/publication/4158/download/rs-publi-4158.pdf)

- 2014, Alimi et al: [Analysis of embedded applications by evolutionary fuzzing](http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6903734/)

- 2014, Costin et al: [A Large-Scale Analysis of the Security of Embedded Firmwares](http://www.s3.eurecom.fr/docs/usenixsec14_costin.pdf)

- 2013, Davidson et al: [FIE on Firmware: Finding Vulnerabilities in Embedded Systems using Symbolic Execution](https://www.usenix.org/system/files/conference/usenixsecurity13/sec13-paper_davidson.pdf)



## Case Studies



- [Binary Hardening in IoT products](https://cyber-itl.org/2019/08/26/iot-data-writeup.html)

- [Cracking Linksys “Encryption”](http://www.devttys0.com/2014/02/cracking-linksys-crypto/)

- [Deadly Sins Of Development](https://youtu.be/nXyglaY9N9w) - Conference talk presenting several real world examples on real bad implementations :tv:.

- [Dumping firmware from a device's SPI flash with a buspirate](https://www.iotpentest.com/2019/06/dumping-firmware-from-device-using.html)

- [Hacking the DSP-W215, Again](http://www.devttys0.com/2014/05/hacking-the-dspw215-again/)

- [Hacking the PS4](https://cturt.github.io/ps4.html) - Introduction to PS4's security.

- [IoT Security@CERN](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1035034)

- [Multiple vulnerabilities found in the D-link DWR-932B](https://pierrekim.github.io/blog/2016-09-28-dlink-dwr-932b-lte-routers-vulnerabilities.html)

- [Pwning the Dlink 850L routers and abusing the MyDlink Cloud protocol](https://pierrekim.github.io/blog/2017-09-08-dlink-850l-mydlink-cloud-0days-vulnerabilities.html)

- [PWN Xerox Printers (...again)](https://www.fkie.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/fkie/de/documents/xerox_phaser_6700_white_paper.pdf)

- [Reversing Firmware With Radare](https://www.bored-nerds.com/reversing/radare/automotive/2019/07/07/reversing-firmware-with-radare.html)

- [Reversing the Huawei HG533](http://jcjc-dev.com/2016/04/08/reversing-huawei-router-1-find-uart/)



## Free Training



- [CSAW Embedded Security Challenge 2019](https://github.com/TrustworthyComputing/csaw_esc_2019) - CSAW 2019 Embedded Security Challenge (ESC).

- [Embedded Security CTF](https://microcorruption.com) - Microcorruption: Embedded Security CTF.

- [Hardware Hacking 101](https://github.com/rdomanski/hardware_hacking/tree/master/my_talks/Hardware_Hacking_101) - Workshop @ BSides Munich 2019.

- [IoTGoat](https://github.com/scriptingxss/IoTGoat) - IoTGoat is a deliberately insecure firmware based on OpenWrt.

- [Rhme-2015](https://github.com/Riscure/RHme-2015) - First riscure Hack me hardware CTF challenge.

- [Rhme-2016](https://github.com/Riscure/Rhme-2016) - Riscure Hack me 2 is a low level hardware CTF challenge.

- [Rhme-2017/2018](https://github.com/Riscure/Rhme-2017) - Riscure Hack Me 3 embedded hardware CTF 2017-2018.



## Websites



- [Hacking Printers Wiki](http://hacking-printers.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page) - All things printer.

- [OWASP Embedded Application Security Project](https://owasp.org/www-project-embedded-application-security/) - Development best practices and list of hardware and software tools.

- [OWASP Internet of Things Project](https://owasp.org/www-project-internet-of-things/) - IoT common vulnerabilities and attack surfaces.

- [Router Passwords](https://192-168-1-1ip.mobi/default-router-passwords-list/) - Default login credential database sorted by manufacturer.

- [Siliconpr0n](https://siliconpr0n.org/) - A Wiki/Archive of all things IC reversing.



### Blogs



- [RTL-SDR](https://www.rtl-sdr.com/)

- [/dev/ttyS0's Embedded Device Hacking](http://www.devttys0.com/blog/)

- [Exploiteers](https://www.exploitee.rs/)

- [Hackaday](https://hackaday.com)

- [jcjc's Hack The World](https://jcjc-dev.com/)

- [Quarkslab](https://blog.quarkslab.com/)

- [wrong baud](https://wrongbaud.github.io/)

- [Firmware Security](https://firmwaresecurity.com/)

- [PenTestPartners](https://www.pentestpartners.com/internet-of-things/)

- [Attify](https://blog.attify.com/)

- [Patayu](https://payatu.com/blog)

- [GracefulSecurity - Hardware tag](https://gracefulsecurity.com/category/hardware/)

- [Black Hills - Hardware Hacking tag](https://www.blackhillsinfosec.com/tag/hardware-hacking/)



### Tutorials and Technical Background



- [Azeria Lab](https://azeria-labs.com/) - Miscellaneous ARM related Tutorials.

- [JTAG Explained](https://blog.senr.io/blog/jtag-explained#) - A walkthrough covering UART and JTAG bypassing a protected login shell.

- [Reverse Engineering Serial Ports](http://www.devttys0.com/2012/11/reverse-engineering-serial-ports/) - Detailed tutorial about how to spot debug pads on a PCB.

- [UART explained](https://www.mikroe.com/blog/uart-serial-communication) - An in depth explanation of the UART protocol.



### YouTube Channels



- [Flashback Team](https://www.youtube.com/c/FlashbackTeam) - A duo of hackers explaining their step by step approach to finding and exploiting vulnerabilities in embedded devices.

- [StackSmashing](https://www.youtube.com/c/stacksmashing) - Reverse engineering and hardware hacking of embedded devices.



## Conferences



Conferences focused on embedded and/or IoT security.



- [Hardwear.io](https://hardwear.io/)

  - EU, The Hague, September.

  - USA, Santa Clara, June.



## Contribute



Contributions welcome! Read the [contribution guidelines](contributing.md) first.



## License



[![CC0](https://mirrors.creativecommons.org/presskit/buttons/88x31/svg/cc-zero.svg)](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)



To the extent possible under law, Fraunhofer FKIE has waived all copyright and

related or neighboring rights to this work.