During the initial setup of a network switch within a company's data center, the network engineer is implementing security measures. What should be the engineer's primary action to secure access to the switch's management interface?
Change the default password for the management interface
Install the latest security patches
Configure VLANs to separate traffic
Update the switch's firmware to the latest version
Changing the default password is essential because attackers often compile lists of vendor default credentials and attempt them first when scanning newly deployed devices. Updating firmware and installing patches address software vulnerabilities but do not mitigate the immediate risk of an open administrative interface protected only by a known default password. Configuring VLANs improves traffic segmentation but does not protect the control plane itself.
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Why is changing the default password crucial for securing the switch's management interface?
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What are the differences between securing the management interface and updating the firmware?
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How do VLANs differ from securing the management interface in terms of security benefits?