Warning: Are You Printing Securely?

Warning Sign

Overlooking printer security happens frequently. If a printer is not in a public space, we might not even consider who is looking at confidential information before it is picked up by the proper employee. Securing your office equipment is an important task and should be done judiciously.

The Danger of Leaving Documents Unprotected

Cyber security threats are common with advancements in technology, but they are not the only way to compromise your sensitive files. Companies need to factor in human error when protecting data. For instance, an employee may print something confidential and on the way to pick up the document, be distracted by another task or co-worker. While businesses often plan for big picture security measures such as shredding documents, it is the small errors that need to be accounted for.

Security Features You Can Use

To make sure that your printer is fully secured you can take advantage of settings present on most equipment. Creating authorized users with access cards or pin codes is a simple way to do this. Another option if confidential prints are rare is to have an optional temporary password created for files to release them from the printer. You can also look more into depth about creating specific printing rules.

Post-Use Security

An important note to remember is that your printer houses a hard drive. Your printer’s hard drive holds all the data for all print jobs sent to it. When replacing a printer whether you’re giving it back to a copier dealer or donating it, make sure to ask to keep the hard drive or to have it wiped clean. Never try to erase the hard drive yourself as you can cause damage to the machine as a whole.

Securing your printer and keeping your data safe is easy and can be done in a few quick steps. To learn more about printers and other office equipment, call us today!