Raspberry Pi-Based Remote IoT Pentesting Platform

Introduction

The objective of this project was to create a compact and covert penetration testing tool capable of identifying vulnerabilities in IoT devices and safeguarding networks against unseen threats. Using a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+, paired with PiRogue OS, Suricata, and Grafana, I developed a remote IoT pentesting platform equipped with powerful capabilities.

Tools and Technologies

This project leveraged PiRogue OS, a custom operating system developed by Defensive Lab Agency, preloaded with tools designed for network analysis and intrusion detection.

Features of PiRogue OS:

1. Network Traffic Analysis:
   
   • tcpdump: Captures network traffic into PCAP files.
   • mitmproxy: Intercepts and logs HTTPS traffic.
2. Intrusion Detection:
   
   • Suricata: Detects malicious traffic based on rules.
   • nfstream: Inspects traffic flows to identify applications.
3. Device Forensics (not in this project’s scope):
   
   • adb: Interacts with Android devices.
   • libimobiledevice: Interfaces with iOS devices.
   • MVT: Conducts device forensic analysis.
   • frida: Runs programs on devices for instrumentation.

Data Visualization

Data visualization was achieved using the following tools:

• influxdb: Stores data generated by nfstream and Suricata.
• Chronograf: Enables searching and exporting data stored in influxdb.
• Grafana: Provides dashboards for visualizing network activity.

This setup offered actionable insights into the network's vulnerabilities through intuitive and dynamic visualizations.

Workflow and Features

A highlight of PiRogue OS is its preconfigured integration of tools, simplifying the setup. The CLI dashboard, accessed via pirogue-ctl status, provides a centralized overview of the system's status and activity.

Tools Focused on in This Project:

• tcpdump, mitmdump, and mitmproxy: For network traffic analysis and HTTPS interception.
• Suricata: For real-time intrusion detection.
• influxdb and Grafana: For storing and visualizing collected data.

Challenges and Limitations

While the platform demonstrated potential, it was constrained by the hardware limitations of the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+:

• Limited RAM: Struggled to handle multiple resource-intensive tools.
• Performance Issues: Prolonged execution times and sluggish system responsiveness.

Positive Takeaways

Despite the constraints, the project showcased several strengths:

• Streamlined Integration: Tools like Grafana and influxdb worked seamlessly, demonstrating the platform’s potential for network monitoring.
• User-Friendly Experience: Preconfigured tools provided an intuitive user experience, even under resource limitations.

Future Plans

To address the limitations, I plan to revisit the project using a Raspberry Pi 4, which offers:

• Increased RAM for better multitasking.
• Improved processing power to handle resource-intensive tasks.

This upgrade will likely unlock the full potential of PiRogue OS, making it a practical tool for real-world network intrusion detection and security testing.

Conclusion

This project served as a valuable learning experience, combining theoretical knowledge with practical application to build a remote IoT pentesting platform. Although hardware constraints posed challenges, the insights gained pave the way for future improvements.

With a more powerful platform, this project has the potential to become a robust and efficient solution for securing IoT networks.