Does your printer and document security strategy stand up to interrogation?

Whether it’s losing access to your production data due to a ransomware attack or having customer information or intellectual property exfiltrated and sold on the dark web, the consequences can be catastrophic, both reputationally and operationally. Whatever the size of your organisation.

Print security is becoming a priority for IT decision-makers

It’s increasingly clear to IT decision makers (ITDMs) that print-related devices need to be considered when defending against those threats. 31% of organisations had experienced a print-related security breach in the previous 12 months, research by IDC* found in 2024, with 18.9% experiencing multiple breaches.

And the threat isn’t going away, with 29.8% of firms seeing an increase in breaches, while 56% see the threat level remaining constant.

The security risks are not theoretical

The loss or unauthorised circulation of a single, confidential paper document can itself be catastrophicand costly. But a hard copy of a personnel record ending up in the wrong hands can be devastating for the person involved. This was the most common form of print-related incident, according to IDC*, accounting for 38.1% of “significant breaches”.

But print and scanning devices also constitute a security challenge in themselves. Afterall, a modern printer is typically a highly capable endpoint computing device, usually bristling with connectivity options such as Ethernet, Wi-fi, Bluetooth and USB. Some devices – though none of Brother’s models – will include onboard disc storage, providing another tempting target for attackers. No surprise then, that hacks of unsecured printers accounted for over a quarter of significant breaches, according to IDC*, while a third involved the installation of malware on printers.

Researchers at Cybernews claimed to have hijacked 28,000 unsecured printers in 2022 to highlight the dangers. They used their “control” of those devices to print out a short guide to printer security. But as they pointed out, less scrupulous individuals could have accessed confidential documents held in printer memory and exfiltrated them. They could have used compromised devices as a staging post for further intrusion into corporate networks, or repurposed them for DDoS attacks, spamming or crypto mining.

How do you keep networks secure from hackers?

How can you begin to close the gap when it comes to print, copy and scan security? It’s perfectly possible, but you need to be prepared to ask your suppliers, and yourself, some searching questions.

Adopting a zero trust approach

Secure tech is the foundation of any IT security strategy, so you’ve got to get it right from the offset, and throughout your printers lifecycle. But it doesn’t stop there. It’s important to look beyond the printer itself. Zero trust – the assumption that no device or user should be trusted but should always be verified every time it makes a request or tries to take an action - has become the default for defending against cyberthreats. Implementing a triple-layer security approach is vital to keeping your network, device and documents safe. The triple-layer approach to security looks at the entire environment (documents, devices and networks). This includes edge devices (firewalls, routers, web servers, anything with public access), endpoints such as PCs or laptops, as well as devices connected to the network including mobile phones to create an effective plan for security management.

Monitoring print-specific network security

Good network security practices in general are essential. Your organisation should already be monitoring unusual traffic into, out of, and across your network to spot unusual patterns. But can you be sure you’re paying sufficient attention to traffic to and from your printers and other document devices?

And what about the devices themselves? Zero trust applies here too. It’s worth remembering that older devices could be unsecure and have hard to update firmware which makes them more vulnerable to hackers. So business leaders need to ensure they are completely up to date with decide specific security updates to prevent hackers gaining access.

Modern devices should provide security features, such as port management and document encryption which aim to stop hackers in their tracks. Password protection and authentication technology will ensure only legitimate users can print to them and access documents. But it’s up to you to implement these features properly.

Who can you trust?

You might want to take things further and ensure that employees must go direct to the printer and unlock it before a document is printed, using a PIN or NFC card, to head off the possibility that someone else could intercept it. All of our flagship business printers include this feature as standard, or users can upgrade compatible devices with a standalone secure pull printing solution.

For even greater security control and visibility, using a print management platform lets you see exactly who is doing what across your network – allowing you to set, enforce, and monitor security policies and workflows, right down to individual devices and employees.

You might find that it makes sense to work with a managed print services partner, who can help you assess your security approach and run your print operations more efficiently overall. An expert and proactive MPS provider will keep you ahead of emerging security challenges, helping you stay up to date as well as firming up your security posture.

Final thoughts: don't overlook print security

It's easy to forget just how intelligent and powerful your printers and other document devices really are. But be assured, hackers and cyber criminals won’t make that mistake. So, now is the time to start asking the hard questions about your print security. When developing your security strategy, leave no stone unturned. But when it comes to secure as standard, triple-layer print security, with Brother there’s no guesswork, no compromise—and no interrogation needed.

So don’t leave your print infrastructure exposed. Speak to one of our security experts today to assess your current risks and learn how Brother’s secure-by-design devices and triple-layer print protection can strengthen your cybersecurity strategy.

Want to know more about with Printer Security is so important?

Or watch our new short film "Interrogation" to see what happens when print security is put under pressure — and discover why the right technology makes all the difference.