Can a simple switch be a security issue? - eviltoast

Hello there,

during black friday i’ve bought a tenda 2,5G switch on Amazon for a good price to replace my old 1Gbit one.

TEM2010F 8-Port 2.5G Ethernet Switch-Tenda-All For Better NetWorking (tendacn.com)

THe performance between my proxmox-nodes increased from 114 MB/s to 270MB/s.

But seeing that Tenda is a chinese manufacturer i’ve doubts about the security.
This switch is the central point in the network. And i dont want some malware or data sniffing device in such a central position.

I’m a newbie in this subject, so i’m, asking you experts.

How can a switch be a security issue?
This switch is unmanaged and has no IP. It isnt listed in my router (to block any internet access)

Can it send data without knowledge and how can a newbie like me check it?

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Thanks

  • StanleyDards@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Yes, it is a potential renegade device on your network, similar to IoT devices or a computer of unknown origin. Modern SoCs are computationally capable, cheap, and would easily fit inside a commodity consumer switch.

    I stick to well known name brands. And in any case, it remains critical to robustly secure all your devices even if they are on your “secure” LAN.