Identifying vulnerabilities of consumer Internet of Things (IoT) devices: A scalable approach

Abstract

The Internet of Things becomes more defined year after year. Companies are looking for novel ways to implement various smart capabilities into their products that increase interaction between users and other network devices. While many smart devices offer greater convenience and value, they also present new security vulnerabilities that can have a detrimental effect on consumer privacy. Given the societal impact of IoT device vulnerabilities, this study aims to perform a large-scale vulnerability assessment of consumer IoT devices exposed on the Internet. Specifically, Shodan is used to collect a large testbed of consumer IoT devices which are then passed through Nessus to determine whether potential vulnerabilities exist. Results of this study indicate that a significant number of consumer IoT devices are vulnerable to exploits that can compromise user information and privacy.