You most likely already protect your company’s email and internet access, but what about your office machines? Printer and copier security is one of the most critical aspects of running a successful business. Cybercriminals can gain access to your network simply by stealing a printer. Follow these security tips to protect your business and sensitive data.
1. Secure Location
Do not let the general public use your office equipment. Hide printers and copiers behind counters or in rooms that only authorised personnel can access.
If your company handles highly sensitive documents, you should invest in more robust security measures. Security guards and cameras will help prevent security breaches when your office is empty at night and on weekends.
2. Authorize Users
Another way to improve copier and printer security is to require employees to enter a username and PIN or password. Employees should never share their login credentials with anyone, including coworkers.
You should also enable the “automatic logout” security feature on all printers and copiers to prevent unauthorised access. If an employee forgets to log out, the machines will automatically require authorization for the next use with this feature.
3. Monitor and Verify Use
Increase printer and copier security by monitoring who uses them, how much they print, and when they print. Monitoring office machines discourages employees from using them for personal purposes and secures access to sensitive documents. Regular audits will enable you to verify user activity and detect any unauthorised access.
4. Encrypt Your Data
Data that passes through printers and copiers is at risk of being compromised. Encryption is required to protect data while storing or transmitting it. Data encryption converts information into unreadable text that can only be read by users who have the decryption key. Sending data to a device that uses end-to-end encryption will protect your data both during and after the transfer.
5. Protect the Hard Drive
Printers, copiers, and other office machines save documents on hard drives so that they can be printed, copied, scanned, or faxed. Encrypting hard drives and keeping machines in a secure location can help to protect them. If you need to replace, relocate, or remove a computer for any reason, always wipe the hard drive clean.
6. Fortify Wireless Security
Poor wireless security can jeopardise your office copier and printer. Use a strong password to protect sensitive data stored on your office machines. To create a strong password, use a random combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. For optimal wireless security, change the password on a regular basis..
