Secure printing
Cyber security and cloud security has become an increasing priority for businesses. Sophisticated cyber-attacks have increased considerably and all too often the risks associated with this are often forgotten with these IoT devices.Secure printing services ensure that you’re business is protected from this critical attack vector.
Why do offices & remote workers need secure printing?
Technology that enables secure printing is essential. Our office printer scans, copies and transmits valuable data daily and if you use a multifunctional device (an MFD), with vast capabilities and functions, they are already supporting your business with their incredible efficiency and productivity. But they are also a vulnerability for cyber attack.
A notable cyber-attack occurred when 150,000 printers were hacked by Stackoverflowin. Thankfully, this was just for fun, but the aim was to highlight how vulnerable printers connected to the internet are, however on a serious note, this attack indicated just how possible it is for a cyber-attack to occur through your printers. Once access is secured, the potential destruction is huge – from accessing the data stored on your printer, to DDoS (distributed denial-of-service).
However, another security concern are paper documents left on your printers by your own staff. Its all too easy to set something to print and then not pick them up and these can be intercepted by hackers who have gained access to your office.
Therefore, you need to secure your printing environment to ensure your documents and sensitive data are protected.
60% of businesses in the United Kingdom, United States, France, and Germany suffered a print-related data breach in the last year, which resulted in a data loss that cost companies an average of more than $400,000. This data was identified in Quocirca’s latest Global Print Security Landscape report, which identified that as well as legacy printers, new, more sophisticated Printers posed a huge threat.
What is secure printing?
Secure printing is a set of specific standards that prevent any unauthorised access to your printing environment either through the network or your devices. The tools and software protect access levels and restrict printing access to those with permissions to use them.
What are the benefits of secure printing in today’s workplace?
We’ve all been there – we print a sensitive document and become distracted and then forget we ever printed it. Hackers are finding ever increasing ways of accessing your sensitive information and this small, seemingly insignificant slip, considerably increasing the chances of the document ending up in the wrong hands.
IT solutions that meet
you where you are
There are a number of key security measures you should implement to ensure you are printing securely.
By embedding software designed by you are able to access all security features through most display screens on the printer.
This provides you with many features including:
- Find Me Printing: This enables any prints to be held in a cue and for the author to release the print job securely at a device of their choice. This is a personalised card for each user.
- Two-factor authentication: Add in another layer of security by enabling two-factor authentication via a pin inserted at the device to release the print out.
- Implement print logging: Obtain visibility of who is printing what, where and when so that you can monitor your printing security.
Our secure printing solution
From long-term partnership to project management, we can solve your technology challenges with a solution….
Data encryption
Whether you have a printer or a multifunctional device (MFD), consider how many files are copied, printed and scanned throughout your working week. So, there is a huge amount of your business data being stored on your device, much of which is highly confidential to your business.
Data encryption is the process where your documents are encoded and only those with the correct authorisation can decode the information again. MFD’s can encrypt file stored on their hard drive meaning that if this is stolen then your data remains safe. Also, with encryption or at least password protection, your sensitive data remains safe from being viewed by the wrong people.
Follow Me Printing
How often do you print a document and then become distracted, and these are left on the printer, and these can be intercepted maliciously or accidentally.
If you implement Follow Me Printing, it means that no document is released without user authentication first. This could include pin codes, passwords and key cards that you can utilise as office access. There are also options with Follow Me Printing, to create Access Control Restrictions for individual users, which places rules on what each user can do with a printed document.
Audit trail
By implementing audit trails, you obtain complete visibility over the usage from your printer. Not only does this provide you with information on any potential security issues, but this information can support your ESG Policy by understanding the amount that is printed and help with any policies on printing.
If you have secure print software, you can create alerts that notify you of any leak, or data breach from one of your network printers. This provides your business with full transparency and accountability of your document workflows.
Secure remote printing
More now than ever, it is imperative that you provide your mobile teams with all the solutions and protection to perform their role efficiently and productivity.
Secure printing software provides your business and its teams, the confidence that you need that your printing environment is protected and has controls in place.
Many organisations require their remote teams to send documents to print on office infrastructure but are concerned about potential security issues. Print management software can provide the control and protection you need to enable remote printing with confidence.
As we mentioned previously, Follow Me or Pull Printing secures documents in a virtual queue prior to release. From an agile working point of view, this allows your remote workers to automatically print their documents on their next visit to the office, or to nominate a trusted delegate to safely print and collect their documents. Users can submit documents from any PC, mobile or tablet device.
Why use this service?
Simplicity
Reduce your waste and support the environment by simplifying your printing processes. Espria can support you in reviewing the environmental impact of your printing operations. We can draw up policies that give your teams clarity on how to reduce the carbon footprint of printing.
Peace of mind
Businesses often overlook the security of their printing devices. By sending sensitive information to an unsecured printer, you are leaving it vulnerable to hackers. We remove that risk and make sure your data are secure throughout all your business operations.
Choice
Printed documents can be securely held in a device and released when authorised. It prevents confidential or sensitive data from being left lying around. You only want them to be seen by the intended recipient, don’t you? By implementing secure printing across your organisation, you encourage a culture of keeping documents secure. More generally, it fosters an employee mindset focused on process and security.
Control
If your business has printers with robust security, it ensures your business is compliant with Data Protection laws. It also gives you control to automate workflows and streamline business processes. Espria collaborates with you to understand the areas of concern in your printing environment and recommends devices that keep your company secure.
Explore our case studies
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