If you haven’t taken a hard look at how your copier fits into your overall security posture, now’s the time. Below are five areas where things can (and do) go wrong, along with what you can do to protect your business.
You’ve locked down your network, trained your team on phishing scams, and maybe even sprung for a next-gen firewall. But the copier? It’s just sitting there, blinking quietly in the corner, churning out invoices and HR forms.
Harmless, right?
Here’s the twist: that “harmless” office workhorse might be one of the weakest links in your security chain. Today’s multifunction printers (MFPs) are essentially computers with inherent security risks. They come equipped with hard drives, network connections, cloud access, and yes, their own share of sensitive data and vulnerabilities.
If you haven’t taken a hard look at how your copier fits into your overall security posture, now’s the time. Below are five areas where things can (and do) go wrong, along with what you can do to protect your business.
Most business copiers store data from every job they process. That includes scans, copies, faxes, and prints. If the hard drive isn’t encrypted or regularly wiped, those documents can stick around long after the job is done.
This becomes a serious issue if the device is ever resold, returned, or disposed of without proper sanitization. Sensitive client data, employee records, or financial information could easily fall into the wrong hands.
Ask yourself:
If your copier is connected to your network, it’s a potential entry point for cyber threats. Many MFPs have built-in web servers, admin portals, and wireless capabilities. That’s convenient, but if those aren’t secured, they can be exploited.
Default passwords, outdated firmware, or unsecured configurations can allow attackers to gain access, move laterally through your network, or exfiltrate data across your operating systems and create a data breach.
Ask yourself:
Think about how many times someone prints a sensitive document and then forgets to pick it up. Now multiply that by your whole team. Confidential client files, payroll data, and legal documents could be sitting out in plain view.
Secure print features like user authentication or pull-printing can prevent this, but they’re often not enabled by default.
Ask yourself:
Scan-to-email and cloud upload features make workflows faster, but they also carry risk. If these functions aren’t properly configured, documents can be sent to the wrong people, unencrypted, or stored in locations you don’t control.
In some cases, users can manually enter email addresses or cloud destinations, increasing the chances of misdelivery or untracked file sharing.
Ask yourself:
If your business handles regulated data — like financial, health, or legal records — your copier needs to be compliant too. That means securing stored data, controlling access, logging usage, and properly disposing of the device when it's retired.
Noncompliance isn't just risky. It can also lead to fines, failed audits, or lost trust.
Ask yourself:
If no one has ever walked you through how your copier fits into your IT security strategy, you're not alone. But the risk is real, and it’s growing as office technology gets smarter and more connected.
The good news? Most business-class MFPs come with advanced security features. You just need to activate and manage them correctly. A quick assessment of your current setup can go a long way toward closing gaps, protecting data, and giving you peace of mind.
Let’s talk about what practical steps you can take to lock things down without disrupting productivity.