Why Copier Security Matters More Than Ever for BusinessesThere are so many things that business owners have to think about today when it comes to, well,security. Especially since we are all doing business online nowadays,and there are cybersecurity threatslurking around every corner. But, while you will definitely remember to use some strategies to protectyour business, chances are that you may not even think about other strategies, and other things thatcould pose a risk, potentially unaware that they are, well, posing risks.
For example, did you ever think about the importance of copier security? This may not have evencrossed your mind, as you assumed that it basically isn’t such a big deal. Apart from getting your veryown copier, which you can and should learn more about so as to make the right choice, you may thinkthat there is nothing else to do. But, the truth is that there is.
Although getting that office copier, buying it and owning it yourself, is definitely a good first step, wecannot deny the fact that there are some other important security solutions that you will have to thinkabout. Or, to put it differently, there are other securitythreats that you’ll have to keep in mind when itcomes tothismachine. And, what we are going to do right now is talk about those in a bit more details,hoping to make things clear and help you understand what you have to do in order to protect your business.
Common Security Threats
Let us, thus, start with listing those common copier security threats. After all, if you’re not aware ofthose, then you are highly unlikely to even understand how to protect yourself. Because, what is it thatyou’re trying toprotect yourself from? Not having an answer to that question will result in you probablymaking some random moves in hopes that you’re doing the right thing, but that’s not enough. You haveto take things more seriously and actually understand what you are up against here.
Data Theft
Well, data theft is the first thing you are up against in this case. Attackers may be able to access thecopier, both physically and remotely, and extract all the stored data. This can lead to your sensitivedocuments being copied, transferred, and even sold, and I suppose you understand how serious of aproblem that can be for your business.
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Network Breaches
Now, here is something you may not have thought about, but it is actually a serious threat that you haveto keep in mind. Basically,the copier will be connected to your company network, meaning that, if itgets compromised, it can basically act as an entry point, so to speak, to all your other systems. In otherwords, hackers can access it and then use it to access all your other system, which can lead to a lot ofproblems.
Insider Threats
It is not uncommon for businesses to assume that all the threats are external, coming solely from theoutside of the company. That, however, is not the case at all. Your employees can also pose significantrisks, both intentionally and unintentionally. Misusing the copier function, once again, eitherintentionally or unintentionally, can result in sensitive information leaks, and I am sure that this is whatyou would much rather avoid.
Unauthorized Access
You don’t want everyone in the company, visitors included, to be able to use the copier, do you? Thiscould be a great security risk. This is why unauthorized access should be prevented, and authenticationcontrols can undeniably help with that.
Compliance Violations
Finally, we cannot fail to mention the risk of compliance violations related to the use of the copier.Basically, some industries may face great penalties and other consequences for not being able to securethose devices that handle personal and financial data, and a copier is undeniably one of them. So, if youwant to stay in compliance, you will definitely need to secure the machine and thus ensure data compliance.
How to Ensure Copier Security
Onto the question of how you can actually do this. How can you really ensure copier security? Well,there are certainly some important steps that you can take in this regard. For one thing, you can encryptthe data that the machine stores on its hard drive, which will prevent the hackers from reading themeven if they do access it.
Then, you can, and should, enable the authentication function, as I have talked about already.Furthermore, you should regularly wipe the hard drives, as well as update the firmware. And, of course,you should do your best to get this machine from a reliable and trusted supplier, as that will undeniablyhave a huge impact on overall security, as well as the overall functioning of the machine.
