A network administrator is tasked with integrating a large number of new IoT-based smart sensors into the corporate network. Which of the following represents the MOST significant, and common, security risk the administrator must address with these new devices?
The devices will consume excessive network bandwidth and degrade performance for other applications.
The devices are highly susceptible to physical tampering and hardware modification.
The devices often ship with default credentials and contain unpatched software vulnerabilities.
The devices require constant, high-speed cloud connectivity, which can be easily disrupted.
The correct answer is that IoT devices often ship with default credentials and may contain unpatched vulnerabilities. This is a widely recognized and significant risk, as attackers frequently scan for and exploit devices with factory-default settings or known, unpatched firmware flaws. While other options can be concerns, they are not as primary or common as default credentials and vulnerabilities. Excessive bandwidth usage is a performance issue, not a primary security risk. Not all IoT devices require cloud connectivity to function, and while physical tampering is a risk, it is generally less common in a corporate environment than remote attacks exploiting software or configuration weaknesses.
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Why are default credentials a significant security risk for IoT devices?
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What are unpatched software vulnerabilities in IoT devices, and why are they dangerous?
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How can network administrators mitigate risks associated with default credentials and unpatched IoT devices?