A small business uses kiosks on the sales floor to display product information for customers. A security team discovers the kiosks use end-of-life operating systems. Which of the following is the security team most likely to document as a security implication of the current architecture?
End-of-life operating systems usually no longer receive security updates or patches from the vendor. This lack of support makes them vulnerable to known and potentially exploitable security vulnerabilities. Without the ability to apply patches, these systems are at an increased risk of being compromised, which is a significant security implication for any organization using them. Therefore, the main security implication of using end-of-life operating systems in this context is the lack of patch availability.
The security team is most likely to document "Patch availability" as a security implication of the current architecture. End-of-life operating systems are no longer supported by the vendor, which means they do not receive regular security updates or patches. This lack of patch availability leaves the kiosks vulnerable to known and potentially exploitable security vulnerabilities. Attackers can target these vulnerabilities to compromise the kiosks and gain unauthorized access to the systems or customer information. It is crucial for the security team to highlight the risk associated with using end-of-life operating systems and recommend upgrading to a supported and more secure operating system to mitigate potential security threats.
Keyword here is "security implication" A. Patch availability - If there is a vulnerability for the system and it is end of life then there is going to be no patches thus making this option the best for a security implication. B. Product software compatibility - This is a compatibility issue, not a security issue C. Ease of recovery - Recovery would come after the fact of a security implication D. Cost of replacement - Again, not a security implication to replace equipment
An EOL system still receives security patches. It's EOSL systems that stop receiving updates.
Here's why its B. End of Life would indicate vendor is not selling devices anymore but still provides support like security patches. Answer B means the product will have combability issues since the product will no longer be available.
Wrong An asset that is at the end of its life is a legacy device. Legacy devices do not have vendor support, meaning there are no new patches available. Patch availability is the biggest concern here.
Product Software Compatibility relates to performance more than security. The question is on the security issues the team will document. Hence A is the more appropriate choice.
A. Patch availability
Security Implications of Embedded Systems A challenge with embedded systems is keeping them up to date with security fixes. When vendors discover vulnerabilities in computers and applications, they write and release patches. When you apply the patch, the system is no longer vulnerable to the exploit. In contrast, embedded systems vendors are not as aggressive in identifying vulnerabilities and creating patches to fix them." -Security+ SY0-601 Get Certified Get Ahead by Darril Gibson