You’ve included your computers and mobile devices in your security strategy, but is there other office equipment connected to your network? When businesses overlook printers, they’re leaving their data and network wide open for hackers.
If the surveys are correct, data breaches involving networked office equipment are increasing, with more than half of surveyed businesses experiencing a breach caused by unsecured printers and copiers. Resolving the issues was inexpensive, and the average time to full recovery was 46 days.
Is Your Network Protected?
Your networked printers and copiers are every bit as vulnerable to hackers as your computers and mobile devices. Because your office imaging equipment is connected to your network and includes hard drive technology, hackers target it to gain access to networks and stored documents. Here’s what can happen when hackers and other unauthorized persons hone in on your unprotected office equipment.
- Network attacks — Your firewall won’t keep a hacker from gaining entry to your network via an unprotected printer. Make sure user authentications protect yours and keep firmware current.
- Attacks on data in transit — Data passes between your printers and your network every business day. If data remains unencrypted, hackers can use PRN readers to intercept and steal whatever confidential information they can find.
- Hard drive data theft — Your company is in a vulnerable position when taking printers out of service. Be sure to overwrite, erase, or destroy hard drives before allowing any printing equipment to leave your premises.
- Unclaimed documents — Documents left unattended on printer trays aren’t much of a problem until they include confidential information. Use pull printing solutions found on your devices to prevent information leaks.
- Mobile device attacks — Unprotected mobile devices give hackers a backdoor into your network. Secure mobile print solutions provide protection.
Have you included all of your office equipment in your most recent security assessment? Contact ZENO for help addressing the issue today! We are the premier printer, copier and office equipment solutions for Midland, Odessa, Big Spring and Andrews.
