Increase Print Security
All business owners worry about security threats to mission-critical information or from individuals seeking access to valuable business intelligence with the intent to do harm or to exploit their business. Because networked print devices function similarly to a computer or server, they are no less vulnerable.
- Privacy incidents and breaches that required customer notification are occurring frequently inside organizations. More than 35 percent of respondents in a recent survey reported between 6 and 10 privacy incidents and more than 43 percent reported more than 10 incidents in the last 12 months.
Source: Deloitte & Touche LLP
Your network security needs are examined frequently and maintained through various technologies. As you start to scrutinize workflow in your business, there are natural security issues that arise. There are several inherent technologies in the printing world that can be accessed and utilized as standard printing practice by your employees. There are also additional solutions that can be added to existing technology to further enhance print security measures.
Control Access
Many businesses require an action to be taken at “walk-up” before the print job can commence. Some services-oriented companies (i.e., legal, tax preparation, etc.) use control access technology to require a billing code to be entered before printing commences. Highly secure businesses require smart cards, proximity cards or biometrics to be employed before print jobs can be initiated. Control access may be a consideration for certain departments or even specific employees as part of their job functions. All of these scenarios are easily accommodated with print security technology solutions.
Pull Printing
Most businesses overlook one very important security weak spot — uncollected print jobs. Many times, confidential information is left sitting in a printer output tray unclaimed. Pull printing technology can eliminate this weak spot completely.
Many newer print devices use authentication at the printer to give users the flexibility to send a print job and then retrieve it to a specific printer. Here's how it works:
- The user sends the print job to a generic print queue on the server.
- The server holds the job, waiting for someone to initiate authentication from a printer on the network.
- The user authenticates at any networked printer using a personal identification number (PIN) entry (established when the print job was sent to the generic queue)
- The authenticated print device pulls the print job from the generic queue to the printer.
Pull printing technology is available through third party applications in MFPs and networkable print devices.
Private Printing
Private printing works much the same way pull printing works, with the exception of by-passing the server. The print job is sent directly to the print device with the user associating a PIN-code to the document. The user walks to the designated print device, provides the PIN code and the document is released to print as instructed.
Encrypt Data
Perhaps the nature of your business is such that you have security concerns about data as it is being sent to print devices. There are digital sending technologies available through third party providers that encrypt data as it travels from your computer to a printer, or even information that is being sent from a print device after a scanning function is completed. These encryption options add another layer of security to your print practices.
Wipe Hard Drive
Secure erase technology allows an administrator to erase most print, scan, fax and copy jobs, keeping print job data inaccessible to prying eyes. Technology administrators can simply conduct regular secure erase functions as a common business practice to enhance internal print security measures.
All these technologies comprise a high-level overview of print security measures available to your business. Each function can be enhanced to the level required by your business to ensure data safety and integrity.