Hair-Raising Risks of Unsecured Printers

Up until recently, printers haven’t posed a huge risk to security, as most threats have been primarily aimed at servers and user accounts. As more sophisticated security measures are being developed to protect these, however, hackers are using “back doors” to attack, with the printer being an increasingly utilized port of entry.

In recent years, there have been a number of attacks on unsecured printers, including one in which a teenager hacked some 150,000 printers to raise awareness about the dangers of leaving printers exposed online without a firewall or other security settings enabled.

Such dangers include network vulnerability, as well as the compromise of sensitive data, including financial records or internal memos and documents that could be utilized by a company’s competition. Public release of stolen information could also severely hurt a business’ reputation – not to mention its finances. In fact, the estimated average cost of a cyber breach in 2017 is almost $4 million!

How Samsung Printing Protects Against Hacks

Samsung Printing is addressing modern printer risks with its exceptional printer security features.

Its Printing Security Core solution for its multi-function printer platforms, for example, protects information from being delivered to anyone but its intended recipient. In addition to increased document security, Printing Security Core allows administrators to manage permissions and configurations with ease, preventing unauthorized data access.

The Smart UX Center, meanwhile, makes use of two platforms that work together to maximize printer security. The Android UI platform provides users with intuitive front-end operation, while a main system platform stores and encrypts print and user data. The main system network also ensures that the UI platform’s communication with other network devices such as PCs and servers is protected. Together, the two platforms enable operators to easily control authorization while keeping tabs on what information gets printed.

Extra Protection for Enhanced Security

While Samsung Printing’s built-in security features help to prevent attacks, businesses can further protect themselves by taking a few simple precautions. They are as follows.

• Always update firmware – Regular security updates and patches mean you always stay a step ahead of hackers. Make use of Samsung Printing’s Smart Update app, which provides official firmware updates to ensure your hardware is fully secure.

• Continuously monitor security settings – Mismanagement of printer settings and ports leaves doors open for remote entry onto devices and into corporate infrastructure. A lack of printer monitoring also makes businesses vulnerable to unauthenticated individuals. But with Samsung’s Smart Security Manager app, admins can effortlessly set up a secure IT environment and customize security profiles. With one-click settings and a straightforward interface, the app makes it easy to check the security status of all your printers.

• Tighten access controls – To prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing documents that are delivered via a wireless connection to be printed, consider requiring the use of passwords or PIN codes. By offering a variety of authentication methods, Samsung’s Secure Login Core allows IT admins to select the login options that best suit their needs. The core’s customizable settings enable you to restrict access to your hardware and valuable corporate data as needed so only the right people can use your company’s devices.

Even the most closely monitored and tightly controlled information network can be compromised. Strengthening printer security is just another method to prevent cyber criminals from gaining access to your valuable business information. If you’re seeking ways to tighten security, be sure to pay close attention to your printers’ security features and commit to using them.