If someone asked you to name the biggest cybersecurity threats in your office, you might say phishing emails, malware, or weak passwords. But there’s one threat few people think about—and it’s sitting quietly in the corner of nearly every workplace: the office printer.
It might sound far-fetched, but printers are one of the most overlooked vulnerabilities in business networks. In a 2020 experiment called the “Printer Hack Experiment,” Cybernews was able to compromise 56% of the 50,000 printers they tested, remotely instructing them to print a message about printer security. That’s nearly 28,000 printers breached with minimal effort.
Why Are Printers a Target?
Because they’re full of sensitive data, and usually poorly secured. Unlike workstations or servers, most businesses don’t consider printers part of their cybersecurity infrastructure. Hackers count on that.
Here’s how an unsecured printer can become a serious liability:
- Printers store sensitive data: Many modern printers contain internal hard drives that store copies of everything scanned, copied, or printed. That means contracts, payroll records, employee files, and client documents may be sitting on your printer—sometimes for years.
- Default passwords remain unchanged: Many printers have easy-to-guess default admin credentials like “admin/admin” or “123456.” Far too many businesses never update these settings, making it simple for attackers to gain complete control.
- They provide network access: Printers are connected to your internal network. Once compromised, they can be used to install malware or ransomware or serve as a gateway to other systems and data.
- Print jobs can be intercepted: If they aren’t encrypted, they can be intercepted in transit. Before reaching the printer tray, this could expose legal documents, medical records, financial information, or confidential contracts.
- Remote access risks: Many printers include scan-to-email or remote printing capabilities. If these features aren’t adequately secured, attackers can access scanned files, send malicious documents, or snoop on your workflows from anywhere.
- Firmware is often outdated: Printers, like all connected devices, rely on firmware. But unlike operating systems or software, printer updates are frequently ignored, leaving known security flaws unpatched for months or years.
- Discarded printers can leak data: When businesses upgrade or dispose of old printers, they rarely wipe the storage. That leaves residual data on the device that can be recovered and exploited if the printer is in the wrong hands.
How to Lock Down Your Printer and Protect Your Business
Now that you know the risks, here’s what your business should be doing to secure its printing environment:
- Change the default login credentials – Update the admin username and password to something unique and substantial, just as you would for a financial or email account.
- Update the firmware regularly – Manufacturers release firmware updates to patch vulnerabilities. Make sure your IT team includes printers in routine update schedules.
- Enable print job encryption – Activate secure print options and end-to-end encryption to protect documents in transit.
- Control user access – Set access restrictions so only authorized users can print. For confidential documents, consider using PIN codes or badge-release systems.
- Clear stored data regularly – Delete stored jobs and ensure that any built-in hard drive is encrypted. When replacing a printer, thoroughly wipe or destroy the hard drive before disposal.
- Place printers behind a firewall – Don’t expose them directly to the internet. Ensure they’re protected as part of your broader network security architecture.
- Monitor usage logs – Keep an eye on printer logs. Unusual print activity failed access attempts, or large volumes of remote prints can be signs of compromise.
Printers Are Part of Your Security Perimeter
Most businesses don’t take printer security seriously because these devices are basic, low-risk equipment. But hackers know better—and they exploit that blind spot. Printers handle some of the most sensitive data in your organization, and they deserve the same level of protection as your servers, workstations, and cloud services.
If you’re focusing your cybersecurity efforts on computers and email but ignoring your printers, you could leave the door open to attackers.
Want to know if your printers—and the rest of your network—are secure?
Schedule a complimentary Network Security Assessment and get clarity on your vulnerabilities and how to fix them before it’s too late.
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