Top IoT Security Risks in 2025—and How to Defend Against Them

Despite rapid digital transformation, security hasn't kept pace. Many organizations still deploy IoT equipment with default passwords, unpatched software, or minimal encryption. In complex environments, oversight is easy. And cyberattacks are increasingly designed to exploit exactly that.

Part of the challenge lies in scale. Managing security for hundreds or thousands of devices spread across sites, cities, or even continents require tools and practices many businesses have yet to adopt. And as more systems rely on IoT for automation and monitoring, attackers see opportunity.

Hidden Weak Points: How Breaches Begin

Default Credentials and Poor Configuration

Despite years of warnings, many IoT devices still ship with factory-default credentials—think “admin/admin” or “1234”—and in a rush to deploy, these are often never changed. When combined with unsecured remote access, open ports, or web-based admin panels, attackers can easily locate and brute-force their way in using automated scripts.

These default configurations aren’t just negligent—they’re a gift to attackers, especially when hundreds of identical devices are deployed in the field. Even worse, many devices don’t enforce password changes or include options for multi-factor authentication, making them vulnerable from the moment they’re connected.

Outdated Firmware

Firmware is the foundational software that runs an IoT device, and like any software, it contains bugs and vulnerabilities. If not updated, those flaws remain exploitable—sometimes for years. Attackers often scan the internet for devices running old firmware with known vulnerabilities, using databases like CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) to find easy targets.

The problem is that many organizations lack the tools or processes to patch devices remotely, especially at scale. In distributed environments like smart cities or industrial sites, manually updating hundreds of devices is impractical—so it doesn’t happen. This turns out-of-date firmware into long-term liabilities.

Lack of Encryption

Many IoT devices still rely on unsecured communication protocols—such as HTTP, Telnet, or unencrypted MQTT—to transmit data. Whether it's factory telemetry, system logs, or live camera streams, unencrypted traffic can be intercepted by attackers using basic tools like packet sniffers.

Once intercepted, this data can be read, modified, or even used in spoofing attacks. In high-stakes environments—like smart grids or healthcare systems—such lapses don’t just compromise data privacy; they can enable real-world disruption.

Minimal Onboard Security

To reduce costs or minimize size, many IoT devices ship with little to no built-in security features. That can mean no firewall, no access control, no protection against Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks, and no ability to detect or log suspicious behavior.

These “barebones” devices become easy targets for botnets, lateral attacks, or as a steppingstone into the wider network. And when deployed in large numbers—across production lines, pipelines, or surveillance systems—the risk multiplies.

In short, every small vulnerability in an IoT device can quickly escalate into a system-wide breach if left unaddressed.

A growing number of manufacturers are rethinking how security is implemented from the ground up. Teltonika, for instance, takes a "secure-by-default" approach across its networking products. Its routers and gateways come pre-configured to require password changes, restrict unused ports, and limit exposure.

Remote management is key to scaling these practices. Teltonika’s RMS (Remote Management System) lets administrators oversee entire fleets of devices, push firmware updates over the air, enforce security policies, and receive real-time alerts about suspicious behavior. Remote monitoring minimizes manual overhead and reduces human error.

Built-in encryption also matters. Through protocols like OpenVPN, WireGuard, IPsec, and HTTPS, Teltonika ensures secure data transmission. And with features like multiple SSIDs, VLAN tagging, Firewall, and NAT rules, our routers support full network segmentation—limiting how far attackers can go if one device is compromised.