Connected devices now sit inside hospitals, factories, retail stores, utilities, and smart buildings across the world. Every one of these devices adds convenience, but it also adds a new entry point for attackers. Understanding what risk is posed by Internet of Things devices starts with recognizing a simple fact; IoT hardware rarely gets the same security attention as traditional laptops and servers. Analysts at Transform Insights expect global IoT connections to approach 40 billion by the early 2030s, spanning healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, utilities, retail, and smart building systems. NIST and CISA have both published guidance warning that this growth is expanding the enterprise attack surface faster than most security teams can monitor it. Knowing how attackers exploit these devices is the first step toward reducing IoT security risks across an organization. What Risk Is Posed by Internet of Things Devices? Internet of Things devices face risks of unauthorized access, data breaches, botnet recruitment, and network compromise, largely because many ship with weak default security controls. A single unmonitored camera or sensor can give an attacker a position inside an essentially well-defended network. IoT devices commonly expose organizations to several different threats. Attackers use them to gain unauthorized access, hijack devices, and breach data, exposing sensitive information. They also utilize compromised devices to distribute malware, build botnets, and move further into a network. Physical security equipment, like cameras and access control panels, brings an added layer of risk because a breach there affects both cyber and physical safety. Security teams increasingly find that compromised IoT devices act as the opening move in a larger attack chain. An attacker rarely stops at one camera or sensor. Once inside, they look for a path toward identity systems, business applications, or operational technology. CISA and NIST both stress that IoT devices deserve the same