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Printer security –
How networked printers can leave you vulnerable 

Thanks to modern firewalls and password technology, managers at large companies can sleep soundly at night, reassured their data is secure, right?

Two trends are making today’s multifunction products (MFPs) the focus of enterprise security. First, they offer more data-handling features than ever, including hard drives, making them as sophisticated as many PCs. Second, companies typically connect MFPs to networks, which give them all the flexibility and security vulnerability of any computer on a network. The biggest threat is that the printers are inside the network and are a more trusted launching pad for attacks.

Most companies use multifunction networked printers. These printers allow many users to share one centralized printer, saving the company money, space and supplies. While they are very beneficial for the users, they also pose a security risk to the company.

“Without a doubt, security is of the utmost importance in today’s business environment,” says Kay Fernandez, director of Product Marketing for Toshiba America Business Solutions Inc. “While many companies have taken extensive measures to protect corporate network infrastructures, one of the most overlooked areas in establishing a security strategy is the document production environment,” she adds. "Stop treating them as printers. Treat them as servers, as workstations.”

Here’s what to look for to manage and secure MFPs:

·         Control access and track usage. Choose MFPs with central control panels that require employees to enter pass codes or network user names and passwords. This keeps unauthorized people from printing, copying or faxing sensitive data from MFP hard drives.

·         Use data encryption. Data-encryption technology can protect MFP hard drives as thoroughly as if they resided in servers and workstations.

·         Overwrite data and don’t forget to thoroughly clean hard drives of data when it’s no longer relevant.

Printers should be part of a company's patch program and be carefully managed, not forgotten, by IT.

Information from documentsecurity.com, smallbusinesscomputing.com, okidata.com, documentsolutions.techweb.com, schneier.com, itbusinessedge.com