The security threats that come with printing
From personal to professional use, we’ve all used a printer. Printers are used all around the world. However, they could also be the biggest security threat to businesses, according to one of the printer industry leaders HP. After all, our printing devices sit in our homes and workplaces and are one of the only devices that we use in our everyday lives that hasn’t been secured by organisations. Plenty of funds have been spent on securing smartphones, desktops and laptops to prevent data breaches.
This alone points out how the printer poses the biggest security threat in comparison to other devices. We’re all aware of the ease of remote printing, as most printers have this incorporated. However, we forget that anything with an IP address can be hacked, making printers a prime target for hacking. In fact, only 53% of IT managers are aware of how printers are vulnerable to cyber crimes.
Encryption
When it comes to computers and mobile devices, we’re quick to ensure that the data we’re processing is encrypted, to prevent important data being leaked. But when it comes to printers, we’re quick to forget about encryption and protecting the data that we’ve sent to the printer. Many people are unaware of pre-installed memory storage that comes with advanced printers. This storage makes it simpler for the printer to store both printed documents as well as documents that are in the printing queue. Without encrypting information that is sent to the printer, in the event of a data breach, all of this information could be leaked.
Hacking
Contrary to popular belief, the biggest security risk is third-party hacking through the internet. As mentioned previously, many modern printers include connective elements such as remote or mobile printing, meaning that it has to be connected to the internet at all times. While this is designed to provide ease to users, it also opens up to possibilities of being accessed by a third-party hacker.
The hacker doesn’t need to have substantial knowledge of hacking, they simply need to have simple hacking skills and some determination. By hacking your printer connected to your company’s internal system, hackers can access documents that have already been printed as well as ones waiting to be printed.
To find out more about how you can secure your printer or to find out about leasing and purchasing secure models for your business, contact us today.