The Government explains that “enterprise connected devices” are devices used in or by businesses and organisations, such as office printers, office cameras, entry systems and room booking systems. These network-connected devices are used within the daily operation of thousands of organisations around the UK, and the Government is aware of significant concerns about the security of these products. Potentially vulnerable devices can provide a route for hostile actors to attack enterprise systems. As well as presenting a threat to individual users and corporate networks, these devices can also represent a large-scale strategic risk to the overall digital environment.

The research sets out some key findings, including:

• enterprise connected devices are being deployed and relied on by many organisations (however, there are significant concerns from IT professionals about device security);
• vulnerabilities are regularly found in enterprise connected devices which have put large numbers of organisations at risk; and
• organisations lack clarity on how to monitor and protect themselves from vulnerable connected devices.

Alongside this research, the Government also published the National Cyber Security Centre’s threat assessment on the “organisational use of enterprise connected devices”.

The Government says that it is developing policy to address these issues and will provide further updates in due course. To access the research and the NCSC threat assessment, click here.