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?
When a system uses an end-of-life operating system, the primary security implication is the lack of patch availability. End-of-life systems do not receive security updates or patches from the vendor, making them vulnerable to known exploits and vulnerabilities. This significantly increases the risk of compromise as any security flaws discovered will remain unaddressed. Hence, the main concern for the security team would be patch availability.
A. Patch availability The primary security implication of using end-of-life operating systems is the lack of patch availability. End-of-life systems no longer receive security updates or patches from the vendor, making them vulnerable to known exploits and security vulnerabilities that will not be fixed. This poses a significant risk to the security of the kiosks and the overall network. Therefore, the correct answer is: A. Patch availability
The most likely security implication that the security team would document is patch availability. End-of-life operating systems no longer receive security updates or patches from the vendor, which leaves them vulnerable to newly discovered exploits and vulnerabilities. This lack of ongoing support means that any security flaws found in the operating systems will not be addressed, increasing the risk of compromise.