Printer support discovers a coveted haven in PCCare247

In the present scenario many organizations continue to rely on computers and associated gadgets such as printers for support business processes. A case wherein printers have ended up becoming multifunction peripherals (MFPs) considered to be integral for a network and their ability to operate nothing less than sophisticated document processing hubs.

Printer Tech Support: A 24x7 soiree at PCCare247:

With new age printers coming equipped with hard disk drives and an added ability to print, copy, scan, send email attachments, the devices have for sure ended up boosting business productivity in a big way. However, then at the same time they also end up posing the same security risk as any unprotected network device. Wherein, unresolved printer issues may not only lead to data breaches but may even force businesses to suffer major financial and reputational damage resulting from unsecured printing.

Bid adieu to printer problems in times to come:

As it would be the situation, the market landscape for printer security is complex with little standardization. Characterized by a chaos resulting from a mix of hardware capabilities, proprietary software and independent third party software products sourced from MFP manufacturers. Leading to a revelation wherein larger enterprises need to improve their protection and other companies also need to take measures for safeguarding their overall enterprise print infrastructure.

Potential security threats doing the rounds:

There are many threats which intend to undermine the security of a printer. Thus, at PCCare247 we do believe it would in the best interest if we ended up making PC users aware about them. Starting with:

• Unauthorized use of a printer or MFP

Users with unrestricted access to confidential information left inadvertently on an output tray can be a huge threat to any organization and somehow attention needs to be paid towards countering such treats effectively.

• Theft of Hardware

Documents sent to printers and MFPs are stored on hard disks prior to printing. A stolen hard disk can really come in good towards exposing such documents.

• Unauthorized changes to settings

If device settings and controls are unprotected, anyone can reroute the print jobs and even access passwords or network information.

• Network sniffing

A “network sniffer” can read data between a PC and a printer, exposing the print job and routing addresses. Fortunately, a range of measures can end up being the proverbial shield against potential threats stemming from an unsecured print environment. Layered protection covers vulnerabilities and includes built-in hardware security along with advanced access controls and auditing tools.

• Control access

Limiting access to MFP for known users is a crucial step towards safeguarding confidential or sensitive information. In this situation, the most common authentication mechanisms end up including passwords, smartcards, and two-factor authentication, such as a combination of a password and card access.