VHL IoT Penetration Testing Exam

The VHL IoT Penetration Testing Certification Exam is designed for professionals who want to validate their practical expertise in identifying, analyzing, and exploiting vulnerabilities in Internet of Things (IoT) devices and ecosystems. This hands-on, scenario-based exam focuses on hardware analysis, firmware analysis, serial communication protocols, static and dynamic analysis and reverse engineering devices firmware.

The VHL IoT Penetration Testing Certification Exam:

  • Is fully online, practical and based on real-world IoT hacking scenarios.

  • Provides a challenging and engaging learning opportunity to test your skills and complete the course.
  • Is focused on applying a testing methodology, learning and skill validation.
  • Is not a high-pressure test with unrealistic time limits, artificially high failure rates and expensive retakes.
  • Includes a free retake or guided correction process if you don’t pass on the first try.
  • Provides a solid foundation to continue performing IoT security assessments and research on your own.

The exam format is different from many traditional cybersecurity certifications, as it focuses on applying the knowledge and skills gained in the VHL IoT Penetration Testing Essentials course in a practical and structured way. You will conduct a full security assessment on an IoT device, following a methodology that mirrors the course content and reflects my own approach to testing IoT systems and uncovering zero-day vulnerabilities. During the exam, you will be tasked with discovering, analysing, testing, documenting, and reporting one or more vulnerabilities in the target IoT device, retracing the same steps originally taken to identify the security issue.

Exam code:CIPT-01
For:Only students enrolled in the IoT Penetration Testing Essentials course
Exam format:Practical assessment + written report
Certification:VHL Certified IoT Penetration Tester – Essentials level (CIPT-01)
Booking:Via the LMS (available now!)
How to book:Use the registration form in the LMS of the IoT Penetration Testing Essentials course
Exam attempts:2 (free retake is included if you do not pass the exam)
Exam start day:Any day of the week
Days to complete:10 Days

Target Audience

This exam is ideal for penetration testers, security researchers, reverse engineers, and embedded systems specialists looking to demonstrate their capabilities in a challenging environment. The VHL IoT Penetration Testing Certification Exam is currently only available with the VHL IoT Penetration Testing Essentials course and cannot be purchased separately from the course.

  • Penetration testers who want to specialize in IoT security.
  • Security researchers that want to discover zero-day vulnerabilities in IoT devices.
  • Embedded systems engineers and developers that want to learn about security.
  • Learners who want to learn about security testing IoT devices in a structured way.

VHL Certified IoT Penetration Tester (VHL-CIPT01)

Upon successful completion of the VHL IoT Penetration Testing Exam, candidates will receive the official VHL Certified IoT Penetration Tester Essentials level (VHL-CIPT01) Certificate, signifying competence in performing security assessments on IoT devices.

Examination

The examination process consists of two components that you complete in the same external LMS environment as the course:

  1. Practical component: Security assessment on an IoT device.
  2. Reporting component: Security assessment and vulnerability report.

The security assessment is performed on a carefully selected IoT test device based on discovered vulnerabilities. The exam is designed in such a way that the candidate follows the same path as during the initial vulnerability discovery. This approach ensures a strong alignment with both real-world practice and the course content, while also reinforcing the methodology in identifying new vulnerabilities.

Video: VHL IoT Penetration Testing Exam Presentation

In this 10-minute presentation, I’ll walk you through the details and requirements of the exam for the VHL IoT Penetration Testing Essentials course. The exam is available for booking for all students that are enrolled in the course. The exam can be booked from the LMS.

Exam Registration

The exam will be available for booking in the LMS system. If you’re already enrolled in the IoT Penetration Testing Essentials course, you can also find more information on how to register for the exam in the LMS. If you’ve already completed the course and are ready to take the exam, you can register to day and be among the first to take the exam.

Enrolled students can book the exam from the LMS today!

Student Feedback

This was a very useful exam, it was certainly a challenge! it completely strengthened everything I had learned from the prior course. I really enjoyed the process.
– LH (Passed the CIPT-01 exam in September 2025)

The exam was a great experience and I really enjoyed it. This is the reason why I spent more hours on that exam than I expected. This is how the exam should look – you are expecting that you spend 3-4h per day and when you are starting the exam you cannot go away as you want to know what and how to proceed and at the end you are on it 7-8h per day. I have to write that I enjoy this exam and what more, I will continue this adventure. Ferdi, I really appreciate what you prepared for me and other students!
– AT (Passed the CIPT-01 exam in August 2025)

VHL IoT Penetration Testing Essentials Course Plans