To comply with GDPR regulations, the majority of businesses have transformed the way in which their data is obtained, used, retained and secured. However, you are still at risk of breaching the regulations if you haven’t made the appropriate changes to your manual / hardcopy processes post-GDPR too. In fact, a lot of businesses are not aware that the GDPR affects all data and not just your digital data. That means it also covers paper-based files, photocopies and print outs.
Keeping track of what paper-based information is being held is a big challenge for businesses in itself, but tracking how that information has been used, if it has been copied, printed, who it has been accessed by, and knowing when it needs to be destroyed are all challenges that your business now faces due to GDPR.
Is your current printer environment a security risk?
One critical office tool that has been neglected by many as something to consider when it comes to GDPR compliance is the office printer or photocopier. A simple solution to helping ensure your business’ GDPR compliance and risk of breaching the regulations is reduced is to re-assess your printer or copier security. MFPs (multi-functional printers) are exceptionally efficient and convenient, but with them come an added security vulnerability.
Here are just some of the security challenges businesses are exposed to with MFPs:
Quite often, print-outs or original files are left in the printer tray, typically at the end of a working day, and therefore can be easily viewed by anyone, regardless of their access authorisation level.
Most printer devices store a history of all the documents that have been printed, scanned or copied during the lifetime of the printer. This results in a large quantity of data accumulating and remaining on the device, making it insecure and a potential security risk.
When a printer is connected to the internet without effective security measures in place, any unauthorised user can gain access to the printing network and any document that has been sent to or from a machine. This puts businesses at risk of their printers being hacked if they’re not secure. Many MFPs rarely have default security settings to protect against hacking attempts and often only require a simple default login credential and unconfigured network connection to grant access, making the device an easy target for any savvy hacker.
How to achieve better printer security
In order to achieve greater printer security, firstly, you should assess your current printer environment and the security vulnerabilities your current set-up may expose you to. This assessment should outline who has access to the device, what information is processed through the device, how this information is protected, how information is erased from the device once the retention period has been reached and how you prevent data loss.
Data transmitted to and from the printer must be protected throughout its entire lifecycle, particularly where sensitive personal data is present. An audit of your printer(s) will reveal any issues or threats you may encounter with misconfigured ports and default user credentials.
Managing who has access to the printer and when and where documents are released can be effectively executed through implementing a simple locking system that only releases documents when the user has authorised it. This prevents documents from being left unsecure at a printer which could then be copied or stolen. The user will also be able to use their credentials to delete old documents from the device in order to comply with retention periods and to reduce the risk of hackers obtaining sensitive information. However, by using your printer’s encryption features, setting up secure passwords and implementing an authorisation system, your chances of a security breach from an outside source will be significantly reduced.
We also recommend keeping your printer’s firmware up-to-date and monitoring the printer environment at all times, whether that’s in line of sight or with CCTV measures.
At Elite Office Solutions, we offer a comprehensive range of secure office printer and multi-functional devices. We also offer a full GDPR security kit for all of our printers to ensure your documents are managed in a safe and secure environment and comply with the data protection regulations.
To enquire about our printers or copiers, or for more information on GDPR-related MFP solutions, get in touch today by calling us on 01962 864332 or by emailing info@elite-os.co.uk.