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What are the copier security “must haves?”  Here are 10 features and capabilities we feel should be heavily considered.

Your copier can easily be considered just another device (albeit a critical one) on your network. So, in an office environment, where sensitive information is printed, shared, and stored, security on this device should be a top priority to reduce security risk.

Essential security features on a copier safeguard data, prevent unauthorized access, and protect against potential cybersecurity threats. But what are the “must haves” in copier and printer security? Here are 10 features and capabilities we feel should be heavily considered.

10 Copier Security Features You Should Consider Adopting: 

1. User Authentication: Authentication processes are nothing new to employees today. User authentication requires users to enter a username and password or use some form of authentication before accessing the copier's functions. This prevents unauthorized users from using the device, granting access only to intended users.
2. Data Encryption: Multi-function printers should support data encryption for data transmitted over the network and stored on the device's internal storage. This ensures that sensitive information remains encrypted and protected from unauthorized access.
3. Secure Print: Your biggest security vulnerability in your office COULD be laying on your copier’s tray right now. Secure printing allows users to send print jobs to the copier, but the documents are held in a queue until the user authenticates at the copier to release the print job. This prevents sensitive documents from being left unattended on the output tray.
4. Audit Trails and Activity Logging: The office copier should have the capability to log user activities, including print, copy, and scan operations, creating an audit trail for monitoring usage and potential security breaches.
5. Automatic Logouts: To prevent unauthorized access to a multi-function printer left unattended, it's crucial to have an automatic logout feature that logs out users after a period of inactivity.
6. IP Address Filtering: IP address filtering allows administrators to restrict access to the copier based on specific IP addresses or IP ranges.
7. Firmware and Software Updates: Regular firmware and software updates from the manufacturer help patch security vulnerabilities and ensure the copier's security remains up to date. A great example is Canon’s Unified Firmware Platform, which helps mitigate copier obsolescence and new security threats.
8. Internet Protocol Security: Leveraging features like Internet Protocol Security safeguards the exchange of data at the communications level by encrypting inbound and outbound network traffic, confirming sender identity, and helping ensure unaltered transmission receipt
9. Network Segmentation: Copiers should be capable of being integrated into a secure network segment with restricted access, separate from the general office network.
10. Secure Erase of Stored Data: When the copier is taken out of service or replaced, it should have a secure erase feature to wipe all data from internal storage.

Based on a Canon-commissioned survey of 381 IT personnel, only 21 percent of IT decision-makers, influencers, and users have security features in place on their printers. Whether you’re acquiring a new Multifunction Printer, or evaluating your current security landscape, it’s important to not leave your copiers and printers out of the cybersecurity conversation. Have you assessed your level of security?

Datamax can help guide you with these features and capabilities, and help you determine best practices moving forward. Click to schedule your visit with a Datamax Technology Specialist!