Device Security

The importance of password security is critical. Often, it is your best defence for protecting your data, devices and systems from unauthorised access. Not taking password security seriously can make your devices especially vulnerable to hackers.

Here's what to know about the latest recommended password security best practices, including minimising your risk from hackers, choosing good passwords and utilising multi-factor authentication.

Why Passwords Are Important

No one expects their office printer to be hacked. Printers are often considered as "low priority" regarding potential security threats resulting in printer security being neglected.

Office printers are privy to confidential data from legal contracts to personal contact information. Furthermore, these devices are often connected to the internet and have familiar web-based interfaces that hackers are accustomed too. Despite this, it is easy to forget that printers today must be part of the company's cybersecurity strategy. 

Hackers exploit the weakest link in the network chain to compromise a system. The "weakest link" in your organisation may be your printer. In 2020, a team of CyberNews¹ researchers sought to shed light on how vulnerable printers are by hacking 28,000 printers. 

You may also recall that in 2018, Forbes² reported that 50,000 printers were hacked to spread PewDiePie propaganda. These cases highlight the fact that printers should not be excluded from network security strategies, and the printer you choose should come with built-in solid security protection.

How Hackers Can Crack Your Password

Setting a password for your Multifunction devices (MFD) is an excellent first step to securing your print fleet. But it's important to realise that even with all your devices protected by passwords, it's still possible for someone to gain unauthorised access because things are constantly changing.

Computer systems have become more advanced, and hackers have too, and this is why we are seeing increased data breaches and cyber threats. You may also have noticed that popular websites and services are prompting you to update your password more regularly and requiring stronger and better passwords when you do. 

According to a study last year by Hive Systems, a cyber security company in the US with new technology, some hackers can crack simple passwords of up to 10 characters instantly. Even properly chosen passwords that include numbers, symbols, uppercase and lowercase letters can be cracked in just a few minutes to hours if they are shorter than eight characters long.

Recommended Best Practice MFD Password Security

Implementing best practices around administrator passwords for your devices will ensure your print fleet is best protected against cyber-attacks and minimise the risk of your data being compromised:

1. Update it straight away. Your MFD is installed with a default administrator password. You must update and personalise this as soon as possible.
2. Make it strong. Strong passwords combine letters and numbers and are at least eight characters long.
3. Keep it confidential. Avoid sharing passwords with anyone else.
4. Regularly change your password - Your IT policy requires you to change passwords regularly, printers shouldn’t be neglected. Give them the same high level of protection.
5. Don't reuse old passwords. Use a new password every time. Compromised passwords will always be vulnerable. 
6. Make it unique. Differentiating your passwords for each account ensures a hacker won't be able to access all your accounts with one login.
7. Authenticated Users. Configure your printers with PIN or password , so employees needs to authenticate when using MFDs and remind them never to share this information with anyone

At FUJIFILM Business Innovation, we make security our priority. Learn more about the advanced security features in our ApeosPort multifunction printers, put in place to protect your organisation and reduce the risk of a potential cyberattack.  

If you have any questions about your devices and their password management please reach out to your Account Manager or call 13 14 12.

¹CyberNews Team (blog), “We hijacked 28,000 unsecured printers to raise awareness of printer security issues”, Aug 27 2020. 
URL: https://cybernews.com/security/we-hacked-28000-unsecured-printers-to-raise-awareness-of-printer-security-issues/
²Thomas Bewster, Forbes, “A Hacker Forced 50,000 Printers To Spread PewDiePie Propaganda -- And The Problem Is Much Bigger Than You Know”, Dec 3 2018.