diff --git a/cmd/qat_plugin/README.md b/cmd/qat_plugin/README.md
index 178e66e8..312b9cb0 100644
--- a/cmd/qat_plugin/README.md
+++ b/cmd/qat_plugin/README.md
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ By default, the device plugin supports these QuickAssist devices:  DH895xCC, C62
 
 Use the `kernel-vf-drivers flag` to specify the vf Device Driver for the particular QAT device. For more information, refer to [Intel QAT Crypto Poll Mode Driver](https://dpdk.org/doc/guides/cryptodevs/qat.html).
 
+`-dpdk-driver` is set to `vfio-pci` by default since it is more robust and secure driver compared with `igb_uio`. See [DPDK Linux Driver Guide](http://dpdk.org/doc/guides/linux_gsg/linux_drivers.html) for more information.
+
 ### Build QAT device plugin Docker image:
 ```
 $ cd $GOPATH/src/github.com/intel/intel-device-plugins-for-kubernetes
diff --git a/cmd/qat_plugin/qat_plugin.go b/cmd/qat_plugin/qat_plugin.go
index 150d2b09..87a092e3 100644
--- a/cmd/qat_plugin/qat_plugin.go
+++ b/cmd/qat_plugin/qat_plugin.go
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func (dp *devicePlugin) scan() (deviceplugin.DeviceTree, error) {
 }
 
 func main() {
-	dpdkDriver := flag.String("dpdk-driver", "igb_uio", "DPDK Device driver for configuring the QAT device")
+	dpdkDriver := flag.String("dpdk-driver", "vfio-pci", "DPDK Device driver for configuring the QAT device")
 	kernelVfDrivers := flag.String("kernel-vf-drivers", "dh895xccvf,c6xxvf,c3xxxvf,d15xxvf", "Comma separated VF Device Driver of the QuickAssist Devices in the system. Devices supported: DH895xCC,C62x,C3xxx and D15xx")
 	maxNumDevices := flag.Int("max-num-devices", 32, "maximum number of QAT devices to be provided to the QuickAssist device plugin")
 	debugEnabled := flag.Bool("debug", false, "enable debug output")
diff --git a/deployments/qat_plugin/qat_plugin_default_configmap.yaml b/deployments/qat_plugin/qat_plugin_default_configmap.yaml
index 065e1d32..90d82895 100644
--- a/deployments/qat_plugin/qat_plugin_default_configmap.yaml
+++ b/deployments/qat_plugin/qat_plugin_default_configmap.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ kind: ConfigMap
 metadata:
   name: intel-qat-plugin-config
 data:
-  DPDK_DRIVER: "igb_uio"
+  DPDK_DRIVER: "vfio-pci"
   KERNEL_VF_DRIVERS: "dh895xccvf,c6xxvf,c3xxxvf,d15xxvf"
   MAX_NUM_DEVICES: "32"
   DEBUG: "false"