Your office printer could be a prime target for a cyber attack. It’s something your business needs to take steps against because of the sheer amount of sensitive and confidential documents that go through your printer every day. When you couple this with the fact that most office printers are remote, you could be allowing a hacker to access your printer remotely and not even know it. We break down some of the ways that you can protect your printer and safeguard your company’s data.
Disable Printer Ports That Are Not Being Used On Your Router
Most office printers allow you to print from several ports. You should only enable ports that you will use. The ports that are left enabled that are not in use can be used as a backdoor by attackers to access your company’s sensitive and confidential data. If you don’t use those ports, make sure to disable them.
Update Your Printer’s Firmware
One of the easiest ways you can protect your printer is to update the firmware regularly. Printer manufacturers release these updates periodically to address security holes and add new security features.
Create A Unique User Name And Password
If you are still using the default user name and password that came with your printer, you could be exposing your printer to attacks. Change your password to one that can’t be easily guessed. Create a strong passphrase by using a combination of numbers, letters, and characters.
Secure Your Wireless Network And Install A Firewall
For the best security, enable WPA2 security on your router and make sure to install a firewall. Consider adding users to access control lists. Another good tip is to just turn your printer off when not in use.
Format Your Printer’s Hard Drive
Printers store images of what you print on the device which is why it’s so important to format your printer’s hard drive periodically. If you are selling your printer or having it serviced, consider having your printer professionally wiped, or formatted. It’s also a good idea to make sure your hard drive is encrypted so only people in your office with a password can access its contents.
Replace Old Printers
The older your printer is, the less secure it will be against attacks since manufacturers usually stop releasing firmware updates. Print faster, print better, and most importantly, print more securely, by upgrading your printer to a newer model.
Enable Secure Print
When you have Secure Print enabled, a printer will hold your print job in the queue until you release it at the printer by entering a PIN or swiping your badge. You can also prevent sensitive documents from being seen by the wrong person in your office by enforcing an Empty Out tray policy – if you print it, it’s your responsibility to pick it up and do get the correct catalog printing online.
Guest post by Tekburg
Tekburg is a leading supplier of off-lease and demo office printers and copiers in Concord, Ontario. We have been helping businesses across Canada save money on office printers since 2018.
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