On average, organizations are spending 24% of their IT budget on security technology and resources. Only about 2% of their budget is spent on securing their print infrastructure. As shown in the chart below, most companies are not enforcing user authentication on their printers or multifunction printers (MFPs). Nevertheless, user authentication is arguably the most simple and powerful end point security feature.
Does your organization enforce user authentication on the following devices?
Source: Security Multi-Client Study (Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends, 2016)
This is problematic. These printing devices have become more like hubs and portals for processing, uploading, accessing, and disseminating vital corporate information on and outside of the corporate network.
They have many of the same risks, including the possibility of being used as a network penetration point, as any other computing end point. There is no scenario where it should be acceptable that these devices are less secure than other network end points, like desktop computers or laptops.
Consider third-party services
A recent Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends survey revealed that 15% of organizations have had to deal with either an accidental or malicious data breach of hardcopy documents. With many of the most important (and sensitive) documents within organizations in hardcopy form at one time or another, this is not entirely surprising.
Nevertheless, these breaches can be prevented. Print devices often have extensive built-in security features; plenty of add-on functionality is available as well. Your organization may not have the time or expertise to fully leverage these security features and functionality. The good news is there are experts that do.
These experts can give you the confidence you seek around print security. Organizations that have worked with a security services provider for their print infrastructure are three times more likely to be “extremely confident” they can comply with their industry’s regulations around document and data security.
As shown in the figure above, Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends found that these types of security services come very highly recommended across industries.
How likely are you to choose/recommend a printer/MFP vendor if they had a security services offering?
Source: Security Multi-Client Study (Keypoint Intelligence/InfoTrends, 2016)
What’s next?
When it comes to security, your organization is only as strong as its weakest link. Do not ignore your print infrastructure when considering your organization’s IT security. Make sure you ask your print technology or IT service provider how they can help you ensure your print environment is secure.