Most business leaders know that cybercrime has escalated over the past several years, and they've taken steps to protect their company's network.
Even so, print security is often an afterthought, if it's on the radar screen at all. Ignoring or delaying a print security strategy puts your organization at risk of a catastrophic security breach, and it could take years before you discover your mistake.
The Most Serious Threats
Networked multifunction printers and laser printers can allow hackers to access your network. You may not even know the breach has taken place, giving criminals all the time they need to snoop through your sensitive information. Here's where your risks are the highest:
1. Network access.
Hackers can intercept documents as they travel from your computers and mobile devices to your networked copiers and printers. Once in, bad actors can capture documents and use or sell the information for identity theft schemes or gain access to bank accounts. Devices with out-of-date or nonexistent print security features should be updated as soon as possible.
2. Unclaimed documents.
Documents abandoned in print trays are an overlooked but dangerous print security risk. It's not unusual for users to initiate print jobs, then wait to claim printed documents. When unclaimed documents include protected information, unauthorized persons may view them. Even when viewed by mistake, the incident is still a security breach and could result in fines or worse. Pull printing is a print security solution proven to reduce the risk of abandoned documents.
3. Hard drives.
Some organizations find out the hard way that every document that's passed through their networked devices remains on the hard drive. Erasing stored data or removing and destroying the hard drive are the best ways to keep hackers from gaining access.
Are your networked devices a print security risk? Contact us to find out with an assessment from Advanced Office today!
