How to Improve Printer Security – Steps to keep your networked copier secure
Printer and copier security is an important aspect of any organization’s overall security strategy. With the increasing amount of sensitive information being printed and copied, it’s essential to ensure that your printers and copiers are secure to protect against data breaches and unauthorized access.
Here’s what you need to know about printer and copier security:
1. Network security: One of the most important steps in securing your printers and copiers is to ensure that they are properly configured on your network. This includes setting up firewalls, using secure protocols such as SSL/TLS, and ensuring that the devices are properly configured for wireless access.
2. User authentication: Implementing user authentication is an effective way to control access to your printers and copiers. This can include using user IDs and passwords,or implementing more advanced authentication methods such as biometrics or smart cards.
3. Encryption: Encrypting the data that is sent to and from your printers and copiers is an important step in protecting sensitive information. This can include using encryption protocols.
4. Data security: Securing the data that is stored on your printers and copiers is essential to protect against data breaches.
5. Regular software updates: Keeping your printers and copiers updated with the latest software is important to ensure that they are protected against the latest security threats.
Steps to improve printer security
Printers and copiers are often overlooked when it comes to security, but these devices can be a major source of data breaches if not properly secured. Here are some steps you can take to improve printer security and keep your networked copier secure:
Update Firmware and Software regularly
One of the most important steps in securing your printers and copiers is to ensure that they have the latest firmware and software updates. These updates often include security patches and bug fixes that can help protect your devices against the latest security threats.
Use Password Protection
Implementing user authentication is an effective way to control access to your printers and copiers. This can include using user IDs and passwords, or implementing more advanced authentication methods such as biometrics or smart cards. Also, enforce better passwords, consider adding a layer of security with a card reader or even biometrics to allow access to a device.
Printer Data Encryption
Encrypting the data that is sent to and from your printers and copiers is an important step in protecting sensitive information. 2
Wipe hard drives regularly
Securing the data that is stored on your printers and copiers is essential to protect against data breaches.
Encrypted hard drives
In addition to wiping the hard drives regularly, consider using encrypted hard drives to ensure that the data stored on your devices is protected even in the event of a data breach.
Managed Printing Solutions
Having a professional team to manage your printers and copiers can help ensure that your devices are properly configured, patched, and monitored for security threats. A managed printing solution can also help you to track and control access to your devices, and provide additional security features such as data encryption and user authentication.
At Avantech we offer a suitable and efficient multifunctional printing solution for whatever your office printing requirements are. You can check our office solutions here.
In conclusion, printers and copiers are often overlooked when it comes to security, but these devices can be a major source of data breaches if not properly secured.
By updating firmware and software regularly, using password protection, implementing printer data encryption, wiping hard drives regularly, using encrypted hard drives and implementing Managed Printing Solutions, you can improve the security of your printers and copiers and protect your organization’s sensitive information.
