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Key Facts: PIPA Exam

2 days

Assessment Window

TCM Security PIPA page

2 days

Report Writing Window

TCM Security PIPA page

$299 USD

Exam + Course Fee

TCM Security

13+ hours

Included Course Content

TCM Security Academy

Browser VM

Exam Environment

TCM Security PIPA

Embedded Linux

Target Platform

TCM Security PIPA

The TCM Security PIPA is a practical 2-day IoT firmware and hardware security assessment followed by a 2-day report writing period. The exam VM contains real firmware, logic captures, and design documentation. Candidates must identify security vulnerabilities (hardcoded credentials, command injection, insecure interfaces) and produce a professional pentest report reviewed by TCM Security staff. The $299 purchase includes 13+ hours of IoT and hardware hacking course content.

Sample PIPA Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your PIPA exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1What is the primary purpose of a UART interface on an IoT device's PCB from a hardware hacker's perspective?

A.To provide a serial console for debugging and shell access

B.To supply power to peripheral components

C.To program the flash memory chip directly

D.To enable wireless communication protocols

Explanation: UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter) is widely used on IoT PCBs as a serial debug console. Attackers and security researchers target UART pads to gain shell access to the embedded Linux system, bypassing software-level authentication. Many devices leave UART enabled in production firmware.

2Which UART signal must you identify first with a multimeter before connecting a logic analyzer or USB-to-serial adapter?

A.TX (transmit)

B.RX (receive)

C.GND (ground)

D.VCC (voltage)

Explanation: GND (ground) must be identified first when probing UART pads. Without a shared ground reference, measurements of TX, RX, and VCC will be inaccurate and you risk damaging the device or your adapter. Finding ground is step one in any hardware hacking workflow.

3When performing UART baud rate detection with a logic analyzer, what is the most common default baud rate found on consumer IoT devices?

A.9600 bps

B.57600 bps

C.115200 bps

D.230400 bps

Explanation: 115200 bps is by far the most common baud rate used for UART debug consoles on embedded Linux IoT devices. While 9600, 57600, and higher rates exist, 115200 is the de-facto standard for embedded Linux serial consoles and the first rate to try when connecting.

4What does the FCC ID printed on an IoT device allow a security researcher to obtain?

A.Internal photographs, test reports, and hardware schematics from FCC filings

B.The device's firmware binary directly from the FCC database

C.The device's default credentials from the FCC certification registry

D.A list of all CVEs associated with the device's chipset

Explanation: Searching the FCC ID on fcc.gov reveals the device's FCC filing, which often includes internal and external photographs, RF test reports, user manuals, and sometimes block diagrams or partial schematics. This OSINT technique helps identify components, interfaces, and attack surface before physical access.

5Which tool is the primary open-source firmware analysis framework used to identify file systems, compression formats, and embedded binaries within a raw firmware image?

A.Binwalk

B.Ghidra

C.Radare2

D.PulseView

Explanation: Binwalk is the standard tool for firmware analysis. It scans firmware images for embedded file systems (SquashFS, JFFS2, cramfs), compressed archives, kernel images, and other artifacts using magic-byte signatures. Running 'binwalk -e firmware.bin' extracts identified components automatically.

6After running 'binwalk -e firmware.bin', you find a SquashFS filesystem. Which command extracts its contents for manual analysis?

A.unsquashfs squashfs-root.squashfs

B.tar -xvf squashfs-root

C.dd if=squashfs-root of=output bs=512

D.mount -t squashfs squashfs-root /mnt

Explanation: The 'unsquashfs' command (from the squashfs-tools package) extracts a SquashFS image into a directory. It produces a 'squashfs-root' directory containing the full filesystem. This is the standard workflow after binwalk identifies and carves the SquashFS partition from firmware.

7Which file in an extracted embedded Linux filesystem is the primary target for finding hardcoded credentials?

A./etc/hosts

B./etc/shadow

C./etc/passwd

D./proc/version

Explanation: In embedded Linux firmware, /etc/passwd often contains password hashes directly (since many embedded systems use legacy or simplified authentication without shadow). Additionally, /etc/passwd reveals usernames and account configuration. On devices using shadow passwords, /etc/shadow is the target but /etc/passwd is examined first.

8What is the purpose of a logic analyzer in IoT hardware hacking?

A.To capture and decode digital communication signals such as UART, SPI, and I2C

B.To supply regulated voltage to UART TX/RX lines

C.To identify short circuits on the PCB power rails

D.To program new firmware directly into flash memory chips

Explanation: A logic analyzer captures digital signal waveforms from interfaces like UART, SPI, I2C, and JTAG. Software such as PulseView (with sigrok) can decode these captures to reveal plaintext communications, credentials, or configuration data transmitted between chips. It is essential for protocol reverse engineering.

9In the context of IoT hardware hacking, what is the CH341A commonly used for?

A.Reading and writing SPI NOR flash chips directly

B.Decoding SPI and I2C protocol captures in software

C.Providing JTAG boundary scan access to a target CPU

D.Performing electromagnetic fault injection attacks

Explanation: The CH341A is a low-cost USB programmer that supports reading and writing SPI NOR flash chips (e.g., 25-series chips like the Winbond W25Q64). Hardware hackers use it with a SOIC-8 test clip to extract firmware from flash chips without desoldering. It is one of the most common tools for firmware extraction via flash reading.

10Which JTAG signal is responsible for shifting data into the target device's scan chain?

A.TMS (Test Mode Select)

B.TCK (Test Clock)

C.TDI (Test Data In)

D.TDO (Test Data Out)

Explanation: TDI (Test Data In) carries data shifted into the JTAG scan chain from the host adapter to the target device. The four mandatory JTAG signals are TDI, TDO, TCK, and TMS. TDI is clocked in by TCK, TMS controls the state machine, and TDO carries data back from the device.

About the PIPA Exam

The PIPA (Practical IoT Pentest Associate) is TCM Security's hands-on IoT and hardware hacking certification. Candidates receive a pre-configured virtual machine containing firmware images, logic analyzer captures, and documentation for an embedded Linux IoT device. Over two days they perform a complete security assessment — hardware recon, firmware extraction, static analysis, reverse engineering, and vulnerability identification — then write a professional penetration test report. This practice bank prepares you with the underlying technical knowledge.

Assessment

Performance-based assessment

Time Limit

2 days assessment + 2 days reporting

Passing Score

Pass/fail; TCM Security does not publish a numeric passing threshold for PIPA.

Exam Fee

$299 USD (TCM Security)

PIPA Exam Content Outline

20%

Electronics Fundamentals & Hardware Tools

PCB component identification, multimeter usage for UART discovery, logic level compatibility, SPI/I2C/UART/JTAG/SWD interface theory, flash programmer (CH341A) operation, and logic analyzer hardware

15%

Recon, OSINT & Attack Surface Mapping

FCC ID searches, datasheet-driven component identification, Nmap service scanning, UPnP/SSDP discovery, CVE research against identified software versions, and IoT attack surface enumeration

30%

Firmware Extraction & Analysis

Binwalk signature scanning and extraction, SquashFS/JFFS2 filesystem mounting, credential hunting with grep/firmwalker/strings, NVRAM parsing, entropy analysis for encrypted regions, and live dd-based extraction

15%

Reverse Engineering Basics

ELF binary identification with file/readelf, Ghidra project setup for cross-architecture binaries, XREF-based dangerous function analysis (system/popen/execve), binary hardening assessment with checksec, and string extraction

10%

Protocol Decoding & UART Shell Access

PulseView-based UART/SPI/I2C capture decoding, baud rate determination, U-Boot bootloader interruption, embedded Linux shell enumeration (netstat, ps, cat /proc/mtd), and live firmware extraction via UART

10%

Vulnerability Identification & Professional Reporting

Command injection in embedded CGI applications, CVSS v3.1 scoring for IoT findings, professional pentest report structure with executive summary and technical evidence, and remediation recommendations

How to Pass the PIPA Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: Pass/fail; TCM Security does not publish a numeric passing threshold for PIPA.
Assessment: Performance-based assessment
Time limit: 2 days assessment + 2 days reporting
Exam fee: $299 USD

Keys to Passing

Work through all 100 available questions
Review every answer and explanation
Track weak areas and revisit them
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

PIPA Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practice running binwalk -e and unsquashfs on public IoT firmware images from Netgear, TP-Link, or D-Link to build real extraction experience

2Set up Ghidra with MIPS and ARM processor modules and practice loading extracted binaries; search for system() XREFs as a daily exercise

3Install PulseView with a cheap $10 logic analyzer and decode UART traffic from any 3.3V device you have access to

4Memorize the 4 UART signals (TX/RX/GND/VCC) and the 5 SPI signals (MOSI/MISO/SCK/CS/GND) — confusing these costs time in the exam

5Practice credential hunting with grep -rli 'password\|passwd\|secret' on extracted firmware filesystems

6Learn to read /proc/mtd and /etc/inittab to quickly understand flash layout and services on an embedded Linux system

7Study the OWASP IoT Top 10 (2018) and map each item to at least one specific tool or technique you can use to test for it

8Practice writing vulnerability entries with: title, severity, affected component, evidence screenshot, reproduction steps, and remediation

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PIPA exam format?

The PIPA exam provides a browser-based virtual machine containing firmware images, logic analyzer captures, design documentation, and analysis tools (Ghidra, Binwalk, PulseView, CyberChef, Hashcat). You have 2 full days to perform a firmware security assessment of an embedded Linux IoT device, then 2 more days to write a professional penetration test report. TCM Security staff manually review and score the report.

What tools are provided in the PIPA exam VM?

The PIPA exam VM includes: Ghidra (reverse engineering), Binwalk (firmware analysis), PulseView (logic analyzer/protocol decoding), CyberChef (data transformation), Hashcat (password cracking), and standard Linux utilities. The VM also contains the target firmware images, pre-captured logic analyzer traces, and device documentation needed for the assessment.

What domains does the PIPA exam cover?

PIPA covers: (1) Electronics fundamentals including resistors, capacitors, UART, SPI, I2C, and JTAG interfaces; (2) Recon and OSINT including FCC ID lookups and Nmap scanning; (3) Firmware extraction using binwalk, unsquashfs, and flash programmers; (4) Firmware analysis for credentials and vulnerabilities; (5) Reverse engineering basics with Ghidra; (6) Protocol decoding with PulseView; (7) Command injection in embedded Linux; (8) Professional report writing.

How should I prepare for the PIPA exam?

Complete the Beginner's Guide to IoT and Hardware Hacking course included with PIPA (13+ hours). Practice with binwalk on sample firmware images from GitHub IoT security repositories. Set up a Ghidra workspace and practice analyzing MIPS and ARM binaries. Use PulseView with a cheap logic analyzer to capture and decode UART traffic. Practice report writing on previous findings. Review the OWASP IoT Top 10 and common embedded Linux vulnerabilities.

Is physical hardware required for the PIPA exam?

No — the PIPA exam is conducted entirely within a provided browser-based virtual machine. All firmware images, logic analyzer captures, and tools are pre-loaded in the VM. Physical hardware tools (multimeter, logic analyzer, flash programmer) are part of the course learning but are not required for the actual exam.

Is this practice exam like the real PIPA?

No — this is a theoretical multiple-choice practice exam. The real PIPA is a hands-on practical assessment where you analyze actual firmware and write a professional report. This practice exam tests the underlying knowledge needed to succeed: hardware fundamentals, protocol theory, firmware analysis tools, and vulnerability concepts. Use it to verify your knowledge before the real assessment.

100+ Free PIPA Practice Questions

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