Prioritize What’s Exploitable with Reachability Analysis for IoT

Cut through CVE noise and focus on vulnerabilities that matter. With Reachability Analysis, Finite State brings a new level of precision to product security for connected devices.

The Problem: Too Many Vulnerabilities, Too Little Time

Product security teams face a daunting reality: every firmware scan can return hundreds—or even thousands—of CVEs. But not all vulnerabilities are created equal. Some sit dormant in unreachable code paths. Others are deeply embedded in third-party modules never executed at runtime. And yet, traditional tooling treats them all the same.

Finite State’s new Reachability Analysis changes the game.

What Is Reachability Analysis?

Reachability Analysis answers a fundamental question: Is this vulnerability actually exploitable in this context?

Finite State evaluates whether vulnerable functions, modules, or system calls are truly reachable in the final binary, using a blend of binary static analysis, disassembly, and heuristics based on kernel configurations and runtime characteristics.

Each determination includes supporting evidence—from symbol presence to control flow hints—empowering you to understand the why, not just the what.

How it Works

Reachability Analysis relies on two key data sets:

1. Metadata on vulnerabilities, including vulnerable function names and associated kernel modules.
   
   
2. Binary-level intelligence, derived from advanced disassembly and static analysis of uploaded firmware.
   
   

Our platform uses these datasets to assess whether the vulnerability is reachable in the binary, assessing multiple factors, including:

• Presence of the vulnerable function in the binary
  
  
• Static or dynamic linking
  
  
• Call graph analysis
  
  
• Kernel module configuration
  
  

Each of these factors is scored internally, and the combined assessment surfaces a reachability assessment :

• Potentially Reachable – actionable and likely exploitable.
  
  
• Likely Unreachable – deprioritize with confidence.
  
  

Importantly, we provide transparency. Each reachability determination includes an evidence trail showing the specific factors contributing to the score. Security teams can explore this data directly in the Finite State platform and validate our assessment using their own judgment and context.

Why Reachability Matters: From Security Noise to Security Signal

1. Faster Time to Remediation
   By zeroing in on what’s exploitable, teams avoid wasting cycles triaging false positives. 
2. Actionable Risk Reduction
   Reachability analysis isn’t a theoretical exercise. It helps your team ship more secure firmware, faster, without overextending your resources.
3. Regulatory Confidence
   With global standards like the EU CRA and Cyber Trust Mark demanding justification for unpatched vulnerabilities, reachability analysis supports VEX records and defensible decision-making.
4. Scalable Security at Any Size
   Whether you're a lean security team managing a few products or an OEM overseeing thousands of devices, Reachability Analysis helps you scale intelligently by focusing effort where it truly matters.

The Finite State Differentiator

While reachability is not a new concept in the broader AppSec world, most implementations are built for web and cloud apps, using source-based analysis for Java or JavaScript. Finite State’s approach is different. 

Finite State’s Reachability Analysis is purpose-built for embedded systems and IoT binaries, including:

• Encrypted or proprietary firmware
  
  
• RTOS environments and kernel modules
  
  
• Statically and dynamically linked code
  
  

Our roots in government-grade binary analysis—and years of auditing firmware for A&D, healthcare, and industrial systems—mean we bring a depth of insight no general-purpose SCA tool can match.

As Roland Lindsey, Senior Solutions Engineer at Finite State, puts it:

“It’s one thing to say, ‘Here’s 100 CVEs affecting you.’ It’s another thing to say, ‘These 3 are likely to be used by your application—these 97 are not.’ That’s what Reachability gives you: focus.”

It’s also what sets Finite State apart:

• More true positives, fewer false positives
  
  
• Detection beyond open source—into proprietary and supplier-provided code
  
  
• Unparalleled accuracy from binary-first analysis
  
  

These aren’t just technical perks—they’re business enablers. Customers switching to Finite State have reported up to 70% reductions in triage backlogs and significant gains in time-to-insight across their product portfolios.

Secure What Matters Most

With Finite State’s Reachability Analysis, product security teams finally have the context they need to act with confidence. No more wasted time. No more guesswork. Just clarity, speed, and risk reduction—at the scale today’s connected product ecosystem demands.

Already a customer?
Reach out to your Finite State representative to learn how to activate Reachability in your environment.

Not a customer yet?
Book a demo to see Reachability Analysis in action and discover how Finite State can help you accelerate remediation, streamline compliance, and secure your connected products at scale.