Monday, 23 May 2022 15:38 GMT

Printers an overlooked security risk

As many of us have moved to a hybrid working model with more employees working from home, Kyocera Document Solutions UK has offered a word of wisdom to businesses on how to stay safe from security threats with the right print strategy.

Martin Fairman, group sales and marketing director of the company has outlined how in today’s day and age, WIFI printers can be exposed to security risks which are easy for hackers to exploit if the right security measures aren’t in place.

“While most businesses do well when it comes to protecting core IT infrastructure including computers, servers and applications, they do often fall short when it comes to secondary assets such as multifunction printers (MFPs),” explains Fairman.

“With cybercriminals constantly circling and searching for different ways to infiltrate a company’s network, unsecured connected printers can be a key point of weakness leading to a major breach.”

Fairman describes the wireless nature of printers as a “back door for hackers” that has been amplified as more businesses adopt a hybrid work model.

As offices reopen and a sense of normality returns, print’s role in the business is increasing in importance

“All of this leaves businesses vulnerable to long-term business disruption, reputational damage, revenue loss and failure to comply with GDPR rules,” Fairmain says, adding: “Therefore, it is the responsibility of all businesses and their partners to prioritise print security.”

Some suggestions Fairman makes on how businesses can implement a strong security strategy include training employees on the latest anti-virus software and how to identify risks.

Other measures include implementing print management software to provide employees with access to secure document release capabilities, and ensuring all data is encrypted from end to end.

Fairman concludes: “As offices reopen and a sense of normality returns, print’s role in the business is increasing in importance.

“If organisations take steps now to shore up their print security, they will stand the best possible chance of staying ahead of cybercriminals.”

If you have any news, please email carys@linkpublishing.co.uk or join in with the conversation on Twitter and LinkedIn.