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CISR CERTIFICATION

Certified iOS Security Researcher

Validate your deep understanding of iOS internals, kernel security, and advanced system-level exploitation.

24-Hour Exam
Corellium Lab Environment

Overview

The Certified iOS Security Researcher (CISR) Certification is built on the foundations of the Offensive iOS Internals course. Designed for experienced mobile developers and security professionals, this certification validates your deep understanding of iOS internals, including sandboxing, Mach and XPC-based IPC, memory management, and code signing.

You'll be challenged to identify and exploit real-world vulnerabilities in iOS apps and system components using tools like Ghidra, Frida, and LLDB.

Who Should Take This

  • Experienced security researchers focused on iOS
  • iOS developers with deep internals knowledge
  • Malware analysts specializing in Apple platforms
  • Professionals passionate about iOS kernel security
  • Red teamers focused on iOS ecosystems

Benefits

Advanced Proficiency

Validates deep technical expertise in offensive iOS security, kernel internals, and system-level exploit development.

Career Growth

Unlock roles focused on mobile OS internals, vulnerability research, jailbreak development, or red teaming.

Increased Earning Potential

Specialists in iOS internals and kernel-level exploitation command higher compensation.

Industry Recognition

Signals dedication to mastering iOS security internals, garnering respect from peers and employers.

Tactical Risk Reduction

Identify and exploit vulnerabilities in iOS to help organizations proactively defend against advanced threats.

Real-World Problem Solving

Sharpen your ability to identify and exploit security flaws that many others miss.

Exam Objectives

1

ARM64 Architecture Mastery: Demonstrate a strong grasp of the ARM64 instruction set and its role in iOS internals and exploit development.

2

iOS Kernel and Security Mitigations: Analyze the structure of the iOS kernel, evaluate built-in security mechanisms, and understand bypass methods.

3

Reverse Engineering iOS Binaries: Dissect both user-facing apps and system binaries to uncover hidden behaviors and vulnerabilities.

4

Bug Classifications: Identify and explain various vulnerability categories common in iOS, including kernel space and userland.

5

Memory Management: Understand allocation and usage of memory within userland and kernel contexts.

6

Sandboxing and Code Signing: Demonstrate expertise in iOS sandboxing model and code-signing enforcement, including bypass methods.

7

Jailbreak Analysis: Analyze how modern jailbreaks work and leverage this knowledge in offensive research.

8

Proprietary Mitigation Reversing: Reverse engineer Apple's proprietary security features.

9

IPC Exploitation: Evaluate and exploit inter-process communication mechanisms like mach_msg2 and XPC.

10

Real-World Exploit Development: Analyze and reproduce real-world vulnerabilities including kernel-level bugs.

Exam Format

24 hrs

Exam Duration

Report

Final Deliverable

The CISR Exam assesses your practical acumen in real-world iOS internals scenarios. Genuine scenarios across five difficulty levels task you with reverse engineering, pivoting, and exploiting iOS applications, libraries, and platform elements to capture the FLAG.

Passing Criteria: Your deliverable is an exhaustive report including fully functional proof-of-concept iOS binaries and daemons, reviewed by a panel of industry experts.

Certificate: Successful candidates are awarded the 8kSec Certified iOS Security Researcher certification, underscoring proficiency in iOS internals and advanced exploitation.

Lab Environment

During the exam, you will have access to a dedicated lab environment providing virtualized ARM devices via Corellium for practical evaluations on both iOS and Android ecosystems.

Prerequisites

  • Deep understanding of iOS internals and ARM64 architecture
  • Experience with kernel security mitigations and jailbreak mechanisms
  • Advanced reverse engineering skills for apps and system binaries
  • Familiarity with iOS sandboxing, code signing, and IPC mechanisms
  • Expertise in vulnerability research on iOS platforms

Recommended Training

Offensive iOS Internals Training

In-depth, hands-on exploration of iOS internals: architecture, memory management, sandboxing, Mach and XPC-based IPC, code signing, static/dynamic reverse engineering using Frida, Ghidra, and LLDB.

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this Certification intended for?
Designed for security experts, iOS developers, and individuals seeking to validate advanced iOS security proficiency.
Is prior experience required?
Yes. The CISR certification assumes deep expertise in iOS internals including security features, process memory management, sandboxing, IPC mechanisms, and exploit development. This is not an entry-level certification.
How long does it take to prepare?
Preparation time varies based on your individual learning pace. On average, participants spend a few days to several weeks preparing. It is recommended to spend at least 2-3 weeks practicing before attempting the exam.
Is training mandatory before taking the exam?
The certification is currently offered upon successful completion of the accompanying training class.
Do I need to set up my own labs?
No, we will provide you access to our lab environment and an instruction guide during the exam.
How long does it take to get results?
Once you submit your report, a member of our review board will review it and provide results within 3 business days.
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