The pandemic undoubtedly thrust businesses into implementing crisis operations when lockdown was introduced. Following a return to normality and with all restrictions lifted, employees have realised the benefits of working from home and how that complements their lives. Therefore, it has caused businesses to re-address the way they operate in a post-pandemic world, considering supporting employees whilst they work in a more flexible arrangement.
How the post pandemic workplace looks
There are many advantages and disadvantages to working remotely. Whilst productivity has remained high, as employers, keeping the company culture alive has been a challenge. So, in a bid to provide the flexibility their teams are demanding, but not to the detriment of retaining and growing their business, many employers have adopted hybrid working, allowing teams to be partly in the office and partly work from home.
It’s been critical for businesses to adopt and ensure that they have the right technology implemented, however what is often overlooked or considered irrelevant is the need to ensure that printing is secure.
Securing your print environment essentially needs to be included in a wider cyber-security plan to protect your business as a whole, however ensuring your printer is secure is often ignored or forgotten as businesses disregard printers as an actual threat to their Cyber Security.
Businesses invest so much money on IT Security and firewall protection but one of the biggest and simplest security fixes is actually staring them in the face. Think about all the sensitive information that your printer holds in its memory and prints – employee confidential information, client confidential information; it is imperative that you protect your printers and make them as secure as any other of your IoT Devices.
3 things you need to consider in your Print Security
- Before printing – securing your print infrastructure (who can print, what they can print, etc.).
- During printing – securing print workflows (security of the printing process itself).
- After printing – securing printed output (protection of documents out in the wild).
The essential security that needs to be implemented in your print environment
Before Printing
Consider implementing Authentication and access control. You can ensure that users have to authenticate and verify their access to a print device. Ensure that the printer is encrypted and create applicable company access controls.
During Printing
Find me printing – Simply, the ability for your users to send their print jobs to a single print queue from their computer or device and release their jobs from whichever printer they are closest to, whenever they want.
Secure Print Release – Your users will either use a code or a card that releases their print job at the point at which they are at the printer, meaning that there are never print outs at the printer – a huge security risk – and it allows you to track your overall print usage.
After Printing
The authentication process allows you to have a single-pane view of what your teams are printing, meaning that you can run reports and see usage across the business providing you with deeper understanding of your printing environment.
Keeping your print environment is secure locks off the final cog in the wheel in your system security system. If you have never considered the security of your printer, then you must do so now as cyber hackers are utilising every opportunity to infiltrate your business and you must implement every precaution possible to keep your business and your teams secure.
