Secure your Documents
If something good can come out of the increase in data and security breaches that companies have experienced over the past few years, it would be the heightened level of vigilance and investment in security.
Today’s MFPs are much more than output devices. They are sophisticated machines with embedded web servers and offer the capability to connect with host applications and cloud-based services. For this reason, MFPs have become a popular target for hackers as they’re able to use these devices to gain access to sensitive data, not to mention a company’s entire network.
Fortunately, there are several ways that you can secure your MFP to prevent hackers from gaining access to such confidential information:
1. Secure the MFP
An effective way to secure your MFP is to add user authentication features such as passwords or swipe cards. You can take advantage of features like secure print, which helps to ensure that a print job is not left on the tray for all eyes to see. In the event that sensitive data is inappropriately distributed, taking these measures to secure your MFP can help to create an audit trail.
2. Secure Mobile Printing
With the increase in mobile technology used in the workplace, mobile printing is in high demand. In fact, a recent IDC study revealed that 75 percent of users perceive the value of mobile printing to be just as important as PC printing. If you’re going to allow mobile printing, it’s best to offer varying levels of access to MFPs for mobile users to ensure that your secure data is controlled.
3. Secure the Hard Drive
MFPs contain a hard drive that stores confidential data, which makes this internal storage device a security threat. An effective way to safeguard this information is to take advantage of user authentication and encryption features that will protect the data in the event of theft.
4. Secure the Network
Considering the amount of information (often sensitive) that travels between the network and MFP, this data can be highly vulnerable to a security breach. This is why MFPs should be behind a firewall and encryption is necessary.
User education is really one of the best defenses against security breaches. Contact us to learn more about how to secure your MFP to keep your confidential information safe.
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