SMB PRINT SECUIRTY
“It’s easy to forget that multifunctional printers (MFPs) are hugely sophisticated devices, with microcomputers that are capable of handling, processing and monitoring huge amounts of data,” he says. “With internet connection and innovative embedded software, they are capable of much more than the basic network peripheral they once were. “The problem is, while some organisations have yet to recognise the potential risk to these essential business tools, hackers have already caught on. “Cybercriminals will look for weak links and entry points within a network to exploit. From the complex interception of unencrypted print jobs to the more basic human-error of leaving printed documents at the device, there are a few ways that a MFP could be used to gain access confidential data.” Range of solutions But there are a range of solutions available to SMBs to counteract the threats. Deyon recommends a multi-layered solution. “This means having security in place at hardware and software level,” he says. “On hardware-level security, for example on Toshiba devices, Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2.0) provides hardware-level protection for hard drive data stored on the MFP. TPM 2.0 is a security chip on the machine’s motherboard, which secures and encrypts data with a unique encrypted key. Since part of this cryptographic key is stored on the module chip and not within the SSD/HDD, any attempts to physically remove the drives and extract information will be futile. “User access to device functions, including copying, scanning and printing, can be authenticated by biometric, password, PIN or ID Card directly at the device, limiting access
to only those who are authorised. Documents can only be released at the printer by their owner, preventing abandoned printouts. “Meanwhile, Domain Name System security can safeguard against threats arising at network level. Layered security can also protect your IT systems from network-level threats and data breaches. “Also, anti-malware protects against malicious scripts being run on the device.” Then there is also software-level security. “Print software adds an extra layer of protection to any hardware-level security,” Deyon says. “Apps such as Toshiba’s e-FOLLOW.cloud or PaperCut Hive allow users to better control, manage, monitor and enable print usage, with the added benefit of built-in security features. Functionalities like secure print release, digital signatures, rule-based access control and end- to-end encryption help to ensure compliance and maximum security for all data.” Reseller role Resellers can play a huge role in informing their SMB customers of the need to keep their printers secure – and provide the solutions their business requires to do that. “Owners of small businesses have a lot of important areas of focus, many of them are on the day-to-day operations of the business. IoT devices and printers are likely not top of mind,” says Bryan. “However, it is important for dealers selling the products and vendors of the products to educate owners on best practices – to guide them on the importance of securing their internet-connected devices. “On the vendor side, it is important for the product to have an easy to configure security wizard – guiding the customer through the best configuration for the device and setting the appropriate admin accounts up for the device. On the reseller side, there should be
Deyon Antoine product marketing manager
toshibatec.co.uk
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User access to device functions, including copying, scanning, and printing, can be
authenticated by biometric,
password, PIN or ID Card directly at the device, limiting
access to only those who are authorised.
”
CONTINUED
printinthechannel.co.uk
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