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IDC Security White Paper

IDC Analyst Connection: Safeguard Your Organization's Sensitive Business Information with a Comprehensive MFP Security Action Plan

An effective IT security plan is essential, but multifunction printers (MFPs) require specific attention beyond a general security strategy. Firewalls alone are inadequate to ensure MFP security, leaving organizations at risk due to their unawareness regarding comprehensive security needs.

MFPs handle both paper-based (prints, copies, faxes) and digital (scanning) business information, making it crucial to incorporate them into the overall security plan. Securing paper-based content is as important as protecting digital content, as the U.S. market alone is expected to generate over 680 billion pages on MFPs in 2021. Restricting access to authorized users is critical for safeguarding both formats.

Cloud and mobile technologies have enabled convenient access to business information, but they also introduce security vulnerabilities. Without proper security measures, increased accessibility can expose sensitive company information to unauthorized individuals.

IDC highlights various security vulnerabilities associated with MFPs. Potential entry points for unauthorized access include hardware components, display screen, memory, hard drive, communication ports, and network ports. User authentication is important, but additional measures are necessary to address other entry points.

MFPs must secure documents both at rest and in motion. Insecure transmission during faxing or scanning can lead to data exploitation. Data stored in memory or the device's hard drive pose vulnerabilities, and leaving sensitive prints, copies, or faxes unattended in the output tray is risky. Encryption is vital for securing documents during faxing and scanning.

As integral network components, MFPs pose endpoint security risks. Given their involvement in various document-related processes, monitoring, and securing the networked traffic associated with MFPs is crucial. Adopting a comprehensive security approach is essential for protecting the print and document infrastructure. The security of an organization is only as strong as its most vulnerable network endpoint.

Read our white paper and adopt a security approach tailored to your print and document infrastructure.