While desktop and laptop computers, mobile phones, point-of-service (POS) systems, and other devices connected to the network are all secured and tightly managed to prevent attacks, research shows printers are a “soft target in the enterprise that can make an attacker’s job much easier.”
View or download to see how printers may be your Achilles Heel.
So why do so many enterprises overlook their printers? Modern multi-function printers (MFPs) are basically self-contained computers, and they connect to the network and internet to provide a range of services beyond just printing. However, HP found that 60 percent of companies have unsecured printers. A separate IDC report showed that only 33 percent of organizations in the U.S. have security policies that explicitly include printers. Less than 20 percent see security as a primary consideration when procuring printers.
The impacts of these vulnerabilities are clear. A Ponemon study on network-connected printers found 61 percent of enterprises have suffered at least one data loss event through unsecured printing.
View or download to see how printers may be your Achilles Heel.
