Businesses Face Loss of Data Through "Hijacked" Printers

Business owners need to realize the security risks of printers, says the European agency responsible for information security. The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) recently released a report showing that printers and copiers can be "hijacked" leading to the loss of data and the risk of identity theft. In the report, ENISA notes that simple workplace precautions such as using authentication (such as PINs or smart cards) can reduce the risk. However, only about half the companies it surveyed use these types of precautions.

ENISA's Executive Director had this to say: “Business in Europe must realize that printing and copying is not as safe as when Gutenberg started printing 540 years ago. Crucial company assets and confidential data is at stake as even printers can get hijacked.” The full report is available as a PDF download.