Securing Printing in a Hybrid Work Environment
As the future of work continues to evolve, with more organisations adopting a hybrid workforce model, IT departments face new security challenges.
While this model has numerous benefits, IT departments are struggling to secure printing in a hybrid work environment, and this article explores these challenges and how to address them.
Employees working from various locations, including their homes, can introduce new risks and vulnerabilities, making it challenging to ensure the security of sensitive information.
Risk of exposure
One of the main challenges IT departments face when securing printing for a distributed workforce is the risk of exposure. A compromised internet-connected printer could provide an entry point for an attacker into internal networks and systems. And once a printer is compromised, an attacker could gain access to a network unnoticed and divulge sensitive data to the attacker.
Multiple areas of vulnerability
Devices and documents in various locations accessible by distributed teams present significant security risks.
- Printed documents that are not secured or destroyed
- Malicious software updates installed via exposed USB ports
- External cyber breaches via the Internet
- Data transfer between devices and across the network
Access to devices and security updates
Controlling printer access in a distributed workforce model is more challenging and can increase the risk of unauthorised access to printers and sensitive documents. It also makes it harder for IT departments to ensure that printers are updated with the latest security patches and configurations.
How can organisations secure printing in today's distributed workforce?
To mitigate these risks, organisations need to adopt a secure print strategy that implements and takes into account:
User Authentication: Secure user authentication for accessing printers, such as usernames and passwords, smart cards, or biometric authentication. This will minimise the risk of unauthorised access to network devices.
Encryption: End-to-end encryption for print jobs and data transmissions to prevent unauthorised access and safeguard data should a breach occur.
Printer Configuration: Ensure that printers are configured with the latest security updates and patches, and disable unnecessary features that can compromise security.
Physical Security: Secure printers physically, such as by placing them in secure locations, locking paper trays, and shredding or destroying sensitive documents after use.
Standardise Print Devices (models): By limiting the number of different device models organisations are able to streamline the management and maintenance of the print environment, making it easier to control and monitor for security threats.
Managed Print Services: Consider using a managed print service (MPS) provider to manage and secure printers. Managed print services, in particular, can be an effective solution for organisations struggling to secure their printing environment. An MPS provider can manage and secure printers, including a range of services, including printer installation and configuration, maintenance and updates, monitoring for security breaches and secure document management, freeing IT departments to focus on other critical security tasks.
And this is where FUJIFILM Business Innovation's MPS Guardia™ can help. Understanding the genuine concern and potential impact to a business should an attack on an endpoint pathway occur, we have designed and developed MPS Guardia™ to offer our customers the latest in protection against these ever-increasing and sophisticated cyber threats.
MPS Guardia™ operates without a back channel into your firewall-protected environment, ensuring maximum security protection at all times. From the devices themselves to documents and data, MPS Guardia™ works across your print environment to minimise your risk of data exposure and compliance breaches which can result in devastating reputational damage.
And It's more than a robust security solution; MPS Guardia™ also delivers seamless control, improved uptime and enhanced productivity in one trusted package.
All that's good about MPS Guardia™:
Print environment security: MPS Guardia™ operates without any back channel into a client's firewall-protected environment giving superior device, document, and data security. All reporting and oversight are accessed via an external MPS Guardia™ portal, preserving maximum security at all times. Applying sophisticated encryption of all print jobs, customisable user authentication, and security settings ensures the organisation's print environment complies with security policies and all relevant standards.
Visibility and Control: The MPS Guardia™ portal gives customers access to their individualised dashboard via an internet browser, allowing visibility of an organisation's entire Multi-Functional Device (MFD) fleet status from anywhere on any device. From the portal, customers can manage devices across their network, monitor and report device faults, install updates and change security settings, and have complete visibility and control of reporting and billing. The portal also enables direct communication with the FUJIFILM Business Innovation (FUJIFILM BI) support team.
Predictive support: MPS Guardia™ delivers predictive support to ensure continuous performance and availability. It constantly communicates with every connected Fujifilm and selected third-party print device in your network, monitoring and using trend analysis to prevent service-impacting events or incidents.
Options to suit all organisations: MPS Guardia™ is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Organisations of different sizes and operating models have different monitoring needs, and MPS Guardia™ offers flexible options to suit any fleet with three levels of MPS Guardia™: Lite, Essentials and Enterprise Plus.
Securing printing for a distributed workforce is a significant challenge for today's IT departments and requires a comprehensive and proactive approach. By adopting a secure print strategy and working with a managed print service provider, like FUJIFILM Business Innovation, organisations can mitigate printing risks and ensure their sensitive documents' are protected. With the right approach and tools, IT departments can secure printing in today's work environment and protect their organisation from potential security breaches.