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Printing is far from dead. In fact, as many as 70% of companies still rely on it today. This fact alone highlights the need for effective print security. However, this need becomes more urgent when you consider that at least a quarter of IT security incidents are directly related to paper documents. And that’s not even accounting for all the wealth of data a multifunction printer stores in its hard drive and memory.

All things considered, a printer can be the weakest link in your overall security strategy. That is, of course, unless you follow the top security practices outlined in this guide.

Why Multifunction Printer Security Matters

When it comes to security threats, most organizations focus on computers and personal devices. Meanwhile, office printers – particularly a multifunction printer – have been a hidden vulnerability for years. Even when companies are aware of this, they rarely view printer security as a priority.

Poor multifunction printer security can lead to some serious issues within the company. The wrong people can get their hands on sensitive documents, manipulate print jobs, and even use the printer as a gateway to attack other systems. Before you know it, your entire network is compromised – all because you didn’t take printer security seriously.

How to Best Secure Your Multifunction Printer

You shouldn’t let the security risks associated with multifunction printers scare you. These devices simply offer too many benefits to be sidelined. What you should do, however, is secure each multifunction printer in your organization. Here are the best practices for doing so.

No. 1 – Configure Your Printer Properly

After purchasing a multifunction printer, your device will have a default administrative password. One of the simplest ways to secure the printer is to change this password. And yet, many offices skip this step. Unfortunately, hackers have no issues identifying these default passwords. So, by using the same password, you’re basically serving up your sensitive documents on a platter.

No. 2 – Control Who Access Your Printer

Only authorized users should be allowed to use the company printer. And even within this group, there should be individual permissions based on roles. This step is crucial for protecting sensitive data from leaks. After all, you never know who can have malicious intentions. If guests or visitors need to use the in-office printer(s), they should be allowed access to essential functions only.

No. 3 – Protect the Physical Data

Your multifunction printer doesn’t just print. It also stores data. Every document printed, scanned or faxed leaves a digital train on the device’s hard drive. If that printer is ever sold, stolen, or decommissioned, sensitive company data could be exposed.

To protect against this, you should encrypt the printer’s hard drive. So, even if the device is accessed without permission, the hackers won’t be able to read the data.

You can also add password protection to the device’s basic input/output system (BIOS). This is an extra step, but it can be rather helpful. It prevents unauthorized parties from accessing information even if they physically remove the hard drive.

No. 4 – Protect the Digital Data

Securing printed documents is relatively easy. You just need to control physical access and storage. But digital data is a whole different beast. You see, every document travels through a network. This journey makes it vulnerable to interception.

Encryption will help you address this issue as well. But this time, you’re encrypting the transmitted documents. This allows them to safely travel from point A to point B. So, even if they are intercepted, no sensitive data will be leaked.

No. 5 – Implement as Many Security Features as Needed

When it comes to multifunction printer security, more is always better. So, you should keep security features in mind when choosing the best printer for your office. These features can help protect against both internal and external threats.

For example, secure pull printing places your print jobs in a secure server queue until the user is physically present to release them. And they can only release them using a password or a PIN. This approach prevents sensitive documents from being left unattended.

Similarly, features like forced watermarks on each document can help you track who printed or copied them. So, if a leak happens, you can quickly identify the source.

No. 6 – Don’t View Your Printer in Isolation

The printer’s built-in security features are extremely helpful. However, they can’t do all the work – especially if they go up against seasoned hackers. That’s why your multifunction printer should become part of your company’s security infrastructure, such as a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system. Such integration will allow you real-time insight into potential vulnerabilities and a much stronger defense against them.

No. 7 – Regularly Update the Printer Software

Outdated software is always a security risk, and the software used with multifunction printers is no exception. These devices need regular software updates to improve performance and, of course, security. And your job is to keep up with these updates.

If this task is too challenging for you – or your staff – you can always consider managed print services. This option will ensure all your devices are always updated. And this is just part of the many security and efficiency benefits that come with managed print services.

No. 8 – Implement a Security Procedure

Simply encouraging your employees to follow a few good practices won’t do much for your overall security. There must be a well-established security procedure in place and every employee must be aware of it.

The procedure in question should cover every aspect of printing. This guide has already covered many of them – from restricting access to controlling document delivery. The purpose of such a procedure is simple – preventing sensitive information from ending up where it shouldn’t.

Safety First

There are a lot of actors looking to explore print system vulnerabilities for malicious purposes. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of areas for them to attack. Your primary goal should be to reduce the number of vulnerabilities. You can do so every step of the way, from choosing a robust multifunction printer to outsourcing security through managed print services. It doesn’t matter which route you take. As long as you’re based in Houston, Stargel Office Solutions can help you out.