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Most people think of high-performing printers as being relatively innocuous tech devices. They perform a somewhat basic function — printing documents. Or in some cases, all-in-one printers also support faxing and making copies of regular and sensitive documents. But a printer that’s connected to your wireless network can also serve a more nefarious purpose. An unsecured connected printer can serve as a point of entry for hackers to access sensitive information. And for this reason, enabling key printer security features is an important step you need to perform after adding it to your network.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
According to the tech giant HP, roughly 30 million printers and multipurpose devices are connected to networks across the United States and Western Europe. However, printers are 68% more likely to be the source of external breaches and 118% more likely to be the cause of an internal breach.
Often hackers rely on printer malware to infiltrate your system. Once inside, they can:
Talking about the risk of a data breach through something as common as a printer can sound terrifying, especially considering how many data breaches can occur in a year. One of the most ignored safety measures is to power down your printer when not in use. It’s a simple solution that keeps your printer protected and secured.
But, if you need more security against threats, you’ll want to look into stronger measures, such as learning how to secure a wireless printer.
Thankfully, there are easy steps you can take to protect your data and secure your printer from any malicious attacks. And with how long some printers last, that can be a lot of data if you aren’t secure.
This applies to both home and office use. But if you leave the administration panel set to the default password when you receive the printer, you’re inviting a data breach. Change the password to something more secure that relies on a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
Depending on your printer, there may be unnecessary protocols that are enabled. For example, HTTP, FTP, and Telnet are all services that aren’t particularly secure and make breaches easier for hackers to attempt. To protect your printer, disable these features.
Every time a device is connected to the internet, it represents a potential weak point where a hacker can infiltrate. Especially for homes or businesses that rely on multiple printers, consider limiting the number of printers that are connected to the network.
Alternatively, the printers that aren’t on the network can still be accessed either by a direct cable connection or by taking advantage of local access connections that aren’t internet-accessible but still allow for people to use them remotely.
This is a smart step that ensures that even if your files fall into the wrong hands, they’re not accessible. Many operating systems have built-in encryption software. And you can read our article on how to connect a Wi-Fi printer on a Mac if that is your operating system. Likewise, these days many printers also come standard with encryption software to protect information that’s being transmitted wirelessly. You may also want to read how a wireless printer works.
Insider Tip
Many printers also come standard with encryption software to protect information that’s being transmitted wirelessly.
Old firmware is easier to hack than one that’s kept current. The reason firmware is updated is to correct security vulnerabilities. If you aren’t updating your printer’s firmware, you’re leaving yourself and your data at the mercy of potential hackers. Instead, keep your firmware current by periodically checking for updates or updating the firmware when your printer prompts you.
Many printers are designed to store print history. While this may be convenient if you need to make another copy of a document, it also serves as a security weakness. A secure printer should offer a feature that allows you to protect that information so that people can’t randomly access the printer’s history and associated documents.
These days, you can find printers that offer preventative features designed to thwart hackers and prevent data breaches.
These days, you can find printers that offer preventative features designed to thwart hackers and prevent data breaches. Many printers can auto-detect an attack and also take preventative measures to prevent future attacks. You can also leverage usage tracking, which can alert you of unauthorized usage attempts. And having a sign-in feature piggybacks off the tracking, ensuring that only people given access to your printer can use it.
If you’re relying on an older printer that is connected to the network but lacks essential security protocols, it might be time to upgrade to a model that offers more protection. Also, another issue you need to understand is your printer’s page yield. This is how many pages your printer can print before the ink or toner needs to be replaced.
Warning
Old firmware is easier to hack than one that’s kept current.
What security is available in printing, and how should it be applied?
One of the best things you can do is rely on encryption to send print jobs to prevent interception. Also, consider changing the default password on your printer and tracking access through features like a PIN code.
Are printers a security risk?
Yes, they can be if they’re connected to your network. In particular, they serve as an unsecured access point to your network, allowing hackers to access sensitive information or take over the device.
Can I be hacked through my printer?
Yes, you can if it’s connected to a network. Hackers can then use that connection to access your computer and collect sensitive information.
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