Member Article

Print technology should incorporate all major elements of the security ecosystem, says Y Soft

Print technology should incorporate all major elements of the security ecosystem, says Y Soft Security of print should include authentication, encryption and protection of printer hard drive data, not just one or the other

As the number of connected devices increases exponentially, the number of ways in which hackers can potentially infiltrate a company’s systems has also grown in parallel. As part of their overall bid to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals, businesses should ensure that their print hardware and software is protected by all major elements of the cybersecurity equation (authentication, encryption and protection of the data stored on print devices), and that the crucial area of print is not neglected due to a fixation on other areas of the business. This is according to Y Soft Corporation, a leading enterprise office solution provider.

Despite cybersecurity being one of the most pressing concerns for any modern business, print is still an area that often fails to get the attention it needs. Quocirca has found that 63 per cent of organisations admit to experiencing one or more print-related data breaches; however, a Ponemon Institute study has shown that 56 per cent of companies exclude printers and multifunction devices (MFDs) from their security strategies. These figures underline an urgent need for print to be approached in much the same way as other areas of the IT estate, and for it be reinforced with a full combination of predictive, preventative and reactive security features.

Nick Parkes, Regional Sales Manager at Y Soft, said: “Despite the proliferation of new devices and the ease with which documents can now be shared, print still holds an important place in the modern office. With printers and MFDs now almost invariably connected to a company’s wider network and there being myriad data transfers between these devices and other servers and systems, it would be folly to continue ignoring print security.

“As with many other areas of the IT estate, simply putting up a firewall or addressing threats once they become a problem is no longer sufficient, especially as the number of ways to carry out a data breach has grown so much. With this in mind, print needs to incorporate three key elements before confidence in its security can be assured: authentication to ensure only approved personnel can use a particular MFD or function; encryption to guarantee that data being sent from a printer or MFD is fully protected; and an ability to automatically protect or erase data held on an MFD’s hard drive during daily operation, during servicing or when they are decommissioned.

To make this happen, Parkes believes that organisations need to ensure that steps are taken to encourage greater collaboration between print management software providers, printer manufacturers and IT staff to bring all of these crucial security elements together.

He added: “Print remains an important cog in the IT machine, so securing it fully is about all three parties working together as we experience a constant expansion of the cyber threat landscape. Print management software can help secure print devices and govern their usage effectively, but its potential can only be maximised as part of a collaborative approach, where printer manufacturers develop hardware that has security at its heart, and IT staff promote a positive internal philosophy that emphasises best practices and a high level of cybersecurity awareness.”

He concluded: “If authentication, encryption and MFD hard drive security can be implemented and used in conjunction with one another, watertight print security can become the norm rather than the exception. Combined with consistent, ongoing training to inform staff of best practices and the dangers they face, businesses can go a long way towards making sure print isn’t a weak point for hackers to exploit.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Y Soft .