Which device is often to be attacked in an IoT system?

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Multiple Choice

Which device is often to be attacked in an IoT system?

The gateway sits at the boundary between a local IoT network and the cloud, making it a highly attractive target for attackers. It handles protocol translation, authentication, and data flow for many devices, so compromising it can grant access to a whole fleet of sensors and actuators, as well as the commands sent to them. Its position and complexity mean it has a larger attack surface and stores more sensitive information (like credentials and update mechanisms), so taking control of the gateway can substantially broaden an attacker’s reach. Sensors and actuators are typically lightweight with limited compute and firmware, offering fewer entry points and less value per breach, though they can still be compromised. Cloud servers are important targets and are defended, but gateways are the most common chokepoint in many IoT setups, making them the frequent focus of attacks.

The gateway sits at the boundary between a local IoT network and the cloud, making it a highly attractive target for attackers. It handles protocol translation, authentication, and data flow for many devices, so compromising it can grant access to a whole fleet of sensors and actuators, as well as the commands sent to them. Its position and complexity mean it has a larger attack surface and stores more sensitive information (like credentials and update mechanisms), so taking control of the gateway can substantially broaden an attacker’s reach.

Sensors and actuators are typically lightweight with limited compute and firmware, offering fewer entry points and less value per breach, though they can still be compromised. Cloud servers are important targets and are defended, but gateways are the most common chokepoint in many IoT setups, making them the frequent focus of attacks.

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