Small and medium-sized businesses are becoming a favourite target, due to many of them having less robust security – or none at all. For many SMBs, printer security is both the weakest point and the easiest to secure. If you’re looking to add a new office printer to your network in the New Year, consider one with these security features.
Password authentication
Data can be stolen either digitally or manually. Leaving unclaimed jobs on the print tray can leave your data vulnerable, and can lead to a much larger data breach. A printer that requires a password, pin code or other identifier to be entered at the printer before the job is released helps minimize this problem.
Encryption
Unencrypted data makes it easy for criminals to use any data they get their hands on. By encrypting data before it is sent across any network – even your internal network – you are making their crimes much harder, and often impossible. If encrypted data is intercepted, it is useless to the thieves.
Digital Documents
An MFP with the ability to automate tasks, such as
cloud storage, can reduce the possibility for human error. A secure MFP should also offer the ability to password protect all scanned documents for added security.
Hard Drive Cleaning
Modern
multifunction printers have hard drives that store data that you have printed, scanned, or faxed. This wealth of information could expose your business in case of a breach. Look for an MFP that has proven cleaning algorithms and makes it easy to perform regular hard drive cleaning.
Activity Logs
Knowing who is doing what on your printer can help ensure that all employees are using it responsibly. With activity logging, you can monitor the behaviour of users, and restrict access if necessary. If a breach does occur, an activity log can help with the investigation. A data breach can seriously jeopardize your business, with as many as 60% of SMBs not recovering from such an event. With these printer security solutions, you can help protect your company from this risk.
How secure are your office printers? Take our printer assessment and find out – you could win one of three Google Assistants!
