To secure office printers, enable user authentication and secure print release, encrypt the device hard drive, keep firmware updated, and keep devices behind your network firewall rather than exposed to the internet.
These controls are standard on most current generation business multifunction devices and can typically be switched on at installation.
Current printer leasing solutions bring these security features to your office on a current model.
This guide explains why printer security matters, the main printer security risks, and a checklist of printer security best practices your team can follow.
Why printer security matters for a business
Most office multifunction printers are networked computers with internal storage, an operating system and email settings.
It can store copies of scanned and printed pages, hold network passwords, and accept jobs from every laptop in the office.
That makes it a way into the network if it is left on factory settings.
Printers are also easy to overlook, because they rarely sit on the IT patching schedule.
The main printer security risks
Unauthorised access. Default admin passwords let anyone on the network change settings or read the address book.
Exposed ports. A printer reachable from the internet can be found by automated scanning tools.
Unencrypted print data. Jobs sent in plain text can be read by anyone monitoring the network.
Stored data. The internal hard drive keeps images of documents until they are overwritten or wiped.
Outdated firmware. Known vulnerabilities stay open until the manufacturer's patch is installed.
Malware. A compromised printer can be used to move across the network to other devices.
Pages left in the tray. Physical document theft remains a concern in shared printing environments.
These risks are most acute in document heavy regulated sectors. See how device level controls map to specific industries in our guides to secure printing for a 20 lawyer legal practice, a medical clinic handling patient records, and a 50 staff accounting firm protecting client tax files.
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Printer security features to look for
User authentication. Staff log in with a card, PIN or network account before they print, copy or scan.
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Secure print release. Jobs wait on the server or device until the owner releases them at the printer, as our glossary entry on secure print release explains.
Hard drive encryption and overwrite. Stored images are encrypted, and the drive can be wiped when the device leaves your office.
Encrypted connections. Transport Layer Security protects print data and the web admin page from being read in transit.
Signed firmware. The device checks that a firmware update came from the manufacturer before installing it.
Access control and audit logs. Admins can limit colour, scanning or email by user, and see who printed what.
Kyocera business models offer data encryption and overwrite options for the internal storage, as standard or as an option depending on the model.
Our device guide to printer security features compares these controls across device classes.
Printer security best practices checklist
Change the default admin password on every printer on day one.
Turn off the services you do not use, such as old file sharing protocols and open ports.
Keep printers behind the firewall, and never give a printer a public internet address.
Put printers on their own network segment or VLAN where your IT setup allows it.
Install firmware updates when the manufacturer releases them, and check for new ones at least every quarter.
Switch on secure print release for anything confidential.
Encrypt the hard drive, and have it wiped before any device is returned or replaced.
Review the device logs regularly for failed logins and unusual activity.
Add printers to your vulnerability scanning so they are treated like any other computer.
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Common printer security questions
How do I know if my printer is hacked or vulnerable?
Warning signs include settings that change on their own, jobs you did not send, unknown entries in the address book, and a slow network around the printer.
A printer that still uses its factory password, or answers on the public internet, should be treated as vulnerable.
Can someone access my printer remotely?
Yes, if the printer is reachable from outside your network.
Keeping it behind the firewall and closing unused ports removes most of that risk.
Can I password protect a printer?
Yes.
Set an admin password for settings, and use user authentication so staff need a PIN or card to print, copy or scan.
How often should I update printer firmware?
Install updates when the manufacturer releases them, and check at least every quarter.
Firmware patches close known vulnerabilities, so an unpatched printer stays exposed.
What is the most secure printer for an office?
A current business multifunction printer with authentication, encryption, signed firmware and secure print release, kept patched and set up correctly.
An older device with no firmware support is the weakest link, whatever the brand.
Secure your printing infrastructure
If you're approaching the end of your current printer lease, this is an ideal time to upgrade to more secure equipment.
Whether you're based in Melbourne printer leasing, Brisbane, secure printer leasing in Perth, printer leasing in Adelaide, printer leasing in Canberra, or anywhere across Australia, a current leased model can have these security controls set up at installation.
Secure print release and user authentication matter as much on an industrial or civic site as they do in a CBD tower, because contractor and shared staff access is wider.
The Toshiba e-STUDIO feature set is set out for that context on secure Toshiba printer leasing in Kwinana.
Council and multi site civic work runs on the same controls in the regions: a Toshiba printer lease in Kempsey applies the same controls to a council depot and a South West Rocks satellite office.
For secure printing, choosing the right office printer is the first step. Small businesses can pair this with our four step small business copier lease guide to align device class, term length and security inclusions.
Our managed print services add usage reporting across a whole fleet.
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To see how two brands we lease compare on security and finishing, you can read the Toshiba vs Kyocera comparison.
Cyrus Dickie
Founder, Global Document Solutions
You deal with the founder directly, from first quote to ongoing support, since 2010.
Authored by Cyrus Dickie, Founder at Global Document Solutions. In the industry since 2010.
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