When was the last time you updated the firmware on your printer? Can’t remember? That could be a costly mistake.

Global Print Security Report found that 60% of businesses in the UK, the EU, and the US dealt with a print-related data breach just this past year. And what’s more, is that this data breach cost these companies an average of more than $400K. How many companies can really afford to lose that kind of money, or endure a hit like that to their reputation?

It’s hard to believe that a piece of hardware that sits in the corner of your office could be such a threat to company security—but it’s a reality that you need to face head-on. As hacker technologies become more advanced, you need to take a proactive stance. It’s not enough to do a “vigilant” security sweep on a one of your printers either. You must do a sweep of every printer in the office.

One printer can be a significant threat to your data so wouldn’t you want to give it the same kind of attention and level of security that you give your computers?

Hackers will specifically target printers with outdated print firmware. Through this entry point, they can gain access to infiltrate your device and begin weeding through your files. By not following basic security protocol on all of your devices, you could be exposing vulnerabilities on your network. If your printers are old and simply cannot handle new firmware, it’s time to replace them!

Here are the top 3 practices for stronger print security:

1. Check/update your printer’s firmware regularly. This should be as important as backing up your files or changing your computer passwords.

2. Implement printer compliance protocols to help keep outside sources out.

3. Develop a process to dispose of old printers securely. Printers with internal hard drives are able to store various files, print jobs, faxes, and document copies to name a few.

Keeping track of your print fleet is time-consuming and often stressful. Let Digitex’s team of experienced, subject matter experts evaluate the security of your print fleet. Contact a Digitex expert today.