It’s been proven that employees are a huge threat to your business’s security, and that still stands. But what if we tell you that a piece of office “furniture” could be your system’s biggest vulnerability?
It is your printer – yes, you heard that right. The machine no one gives a two-take about, standing in the corner of your office, is a popular target for hackers.
Printers contain confidential company documents, client data, and other valuable information, and yet most businesses leave them wide open to attacks.
Why Hack a Printer (and Not Your Email)
Printers store a lot of information
Every print, scan or copy of a document is saved on the printer’s hard drive for years. Hackers can infiltrate the printer and steal or copy all the digital files.
Printers may leave data exposed
If your print jobs aren’t encrypted, which they rarely are, cyber criminals can intercept documents before reaching the printer, stealing sensitive data and spying on your business.
Printers are the gateway to your network
Connected to WiFi or the business central network, printers are an entry point for hackers to install malware or ransomware.
Printers make easy targets
Most businesses don’t change the default password on a printer like “admin” or “12345”, making it super easy for hackers to gain access.
Outdated printers are a security risk
Printers as old as the office building, without any updated firmware, are vulnerable to criminal exploitation. Improper disposal of old printers can lead to your data being mined for sensitive information.
Securing Your Printer
Now that you know how easy it is for hackers to take control of your printer, it is important to secure it by:
- Changing the Default Password – Make it strong and unique, just like your bank account password.
- Updating your printer’s firmware – Check for updates every few months and update to the newest security features.
- Encrypting your documents – Enable secure print and end-to-end encryption to all sensitive documents before printing.
- Restricting printing access – Only authorized people can use the printer with a unique user PIN code.
- Clearing stored data regularly – Manually delete the digital copies of printed jobs. Wipe or destroy the hard drive when disposing of an old printer.
- Adding a firewall – Just like computers, printers should be protected by a firewall to prevent unauthorized access.
- Monitoring printer activity – Track printer logs to identify remote access attempts or unauthorized users printing sensitive documents.
Printers Aren’t Just Office Equipment – They’re Security Risks
Businesses overlook these bulky machines because they are “just” printers, however, they are a goldmine for information, and it is easy to hack them.
If you’re ignoring your printer, you are putting all your data at risk.
Start with a FREE Network Security Assessment to learn if your office printer or other devices are secure. Schedule a 15-minute discovery call!
