The Printer in Your Office Might Be a Massive Cybersecurity Risk

Most Businesses Ignore Printer Security — Hackers Count on It

Think phishing emails or weak passwords are your biggest cybersecurity threats? Think again. One of the most overlooked risks is sitting right in your office: your printer.

It may look harmless, but it’s a goldmine for hackers. In fact, a 2020 experiment by Cybernews showed that 56% of 50,000 printers were compromised remotely. That’s nearly 28,000 unsecured devices—just because no one thought they were worth protecting.

If you haven’t secured your business printers, you might be exposing sensitive data without even realizing it.

Why Hackers Target Printers

• They store sensitive data: Many printers keep digital copies of everything they process—from contracts and payroll to medical records. Without proper security, anyone who accesses the printer can access this data too.
• Default passwords = easy entry: Most office printers still use manufacturer logins like “admin/admin” or “123456.” Hackers love it when no one bothers to change them.
• They’re connected to your network: Printers often sit on the same WiFi as your servers and devices. Once compromised, they can act as a backdoor for installing ransomware or extracting data.
• They send and receive data: From scan-to-email features to cloud print, modern printers are communication hubs. A compromised device can allow hackers to spy on your emails and stored documents.
• They’re rarely updated: Unlike your computers or phones, printers are often left out of the patching process. Outdated firmware can leave wide-open vulnerabilities.
• Even discarded printers are risky: Did you wipe your printer’s hard drive before replacing it? Most don’t—and hackers know how to extract data from old devices.

How To Lock Down Your Printers (Before Hackers Do)

• Change default passwords immediately: Use strong, unique credentials just like you would for any critical system.
• Update firmware regularly: Security patches fix known vulnerabilities. Schedule routine checks.
• Encrypt print jobs: Use features like Secure Print or require PINs to release sensitive documents.
• Control access: Limit who can print and what they can print. Use user authentication and guest restrictions.
• Wipe stored data often: Regularly clear memory and erase hard drives when decommissioning printers.
• Put printers behind firewalls: Segment them from the rest of your network to limit exposure.
• Monitor activity: Log and track print usage. Watch for signs of unauthorized access or unusual volume spikes.

Don’t Let an Office Printer Be Your Weakest Link

Cybercriminals rely on the fact that businesses ignore printer security. Don’t let that be you. If your printers aren’t protected, neither is your network.

Get a FREE Network and CyberSecurity Check Up with TheCompuLab—we’ll check your entire infrastructure (including the printers) for vulnerabilities and give you a clear plan to lock things down.

Book your FREE Check Up today