Maleea m's Senior Project Blog
|
Project Title: IoT Device Exploitation and Protection Through Utilization of a DNS Server BASIS Advisor: Jeffrey Winslow Internship Location: GoDaddy Onsite Mentor: Mr. Whipple |
Project Abstract
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the security of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is more crucial than ever. These devices are susceptible to cyberattacks that could compromise not only personal data but entire networks. The goal of this project is to explore how ethical hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in IoT devices and, more importantly, develop strategies to prevent and detect such exploits. By studying the methods used to compromise these devices, I aim to develop a comprehensive approach to securing IoT networks. My role in this project will involve performing penetration testing on a variety of IoT devices, attempting to exploit weaknesses to understand their vulnerabilities. Once the exploits are identified, I will focus on creating a monitoring system to detect unusual traffic patterns. By establishing a DNS server and using log monitoring techniques, I will work on identifying potential attacks in real-time. Additionally, I will implement a manual method to block these threats using a blacklist. By examining the vulnerabilities and implementing preventative measures, this project will help secure devices that are relied upon in everyday life. Ultimately, this work will strengthen the protection of local systems and raise awareness about the dangers of cybersecurity threats by educating users on best practices, sharing findings with the security community, and promoting proactive defense strategies.
Week 10: Finishing Touches
This week, I finally wrapped up the biggest part of my senior project: a 32-slide PowerPoint and an 11-page script. I know—maybe a little overkill. I probably spent way too many hours hunched over my laptop in the Cline Library, but honestly, I was so excited to see the light at the end of the... Read More
Week 9: The Sweet Taste of Success (A Chronicle)
jfjfjf Ah, what a fine day it is to draw breath and walk this earth. Truly, I am most fortunate to live the life I do. On this day, the trials of debugging hath come to an end, though, to my displeasure, only for a short while, I know, but I shall not dwell on... Read More
Week 8: Roller Coaster of Emotions
No week is complete without an unexpected twist. This time, I ran into a series of “command not found” errors, which led me down a rabbit hole of installing new packages on my virtual machine. The installation process dragged on for hours and slowed my VM to a nearly unusable state. Strangely, my laptop remained... Read More
Week 7: Lines, Lines, and More Lines
Again, my fight with my virtual machine persists, this time with an update lasting around 2 hours. 🙁 Despite my struggles with an invisible robot that lives inside a more physical one, I am building my DNS in Python with the help of CodeCrafters! Step 1: Reading the Incoming Messages (UDP Packets) First,... Read More
Week 6: DNS What?
Have you ever searched for a website in your browser? Ever wonder how your computer actually knows where to find that website? It’s not magic—it’s DNS. And trust me, DNS is way cooler than it sounds. What is DNS? DNS stands for Domain Name System, and it’s basically the Internet’s phonebook. Instead of remembering random... Read More
Week 5: Dropping Beats, Security Protocols, and Tears
After successfully hacking into my hypothetical home network last week, the next logical step was obvious—hack my dad’s beloved speakers. Because… well, why not? Going into this project, I had high hopes. Find the Sonos speaker connected to the wifi, and send it commands with Python. I soon found that my smooth hack was anything... Read More
Week 4: My First Step Toward World Domination
Many of you reading this likely have one of these tucked away in an office or a central spot of your home. This is a Wireless Access Point (AP). It takes data from an Ethernet cable plugged into that oddly shaped outlet and turns it into a 2.4GHz or 5GHz wireless signal for all your... Read More
Week 3: The S in IoT Stands For Security (P.S. there isn’t an S)
It’s 2025, and smart devices are everywhere—fridges that order groceries, thermostats that adjust themselves, and even toasters that connect to Wi-Fi. Yet, despite these technological advancements, IoT security remains an afterthought. Why do companies, so focused on innovation in every other aspect, continue to overlook security? Like many other issues, it all comes down to... Read More
Week 2: The Dark Cybercrime Economy
Trailing behind only the US and China, the Dark Cybercrime Economy has grown into a $10.5 trillion superpower, making it the world's third-largest economy—and it continues to expand at an alarming rate of 15% annually. The Rise of the Cybercrime Economy Many have heard of the dark web, and if you are like me,... Read More
Week 1: One Team, Two Team, Red Team, Blue Team
Brute force, backdoors, sneaky attacks,Red Team is hunting for critical cracks.Blue Team defends, firewalls tight,Mending and tending to end the fight In my previous post, I introduced you to the concept of "ethical hacking"—two words that might seem like complete opposites. Ethical hacking is the authorized use of hacking techniques to identify security vulnerabilities... Read More
Securing the Future: Introduction to My Senior Project on IoT Cybersecurity
Hello and welcome to my senior project! My name is Maleea, I'm a senior at BASIS Flagstaff with a passion for cybersecurity. Before I get into my master plan of becoming a hacker (the legal kind, don’t worry) and what I’m doing to launch my career, here’s a little about me. I moved to Flagstaff... Read More