The Simply Smarter Blog

Multifunction printers (MFPs) play a fundamental role in offices worldwide. However, it is critical to recognize that these devices can pose significant security risks if not correctly protected. With cybercriminals and malicious hackers constantly seeking vulnerabilities to exploit, it is necessary to understand the conventional attack methods they employ and implement robust security measures to mitigate these risks. Below, we address a few common printer vulnerabilities and best practices to identify and avoid them.

Whether you are a small business or a large enterprise, Sharp's BP Series document systems can help elevate your office efficiency, save time and resources, and take your business to new heights. These devices bring together exceptional quality, seamless connectivity, and enhanced productivity and security features wrapped in award-winning excellence. With these integrated features, you can take office productivity to the next level and stay ahead of industry trends. Invest in the BP Series and experience the power of cutting-edge office technology.

Stay on top of potential threats with advanced print security service for Sharp multifunction printers (MFPs) and printers. This new service captures a comprehensive range of event logs and alerts from Sharp devices and sends them to a Security Information and Event Management system (SIEM). These events are closely monitored and analyzed by a 24/7 security operations center and alerts you to vulnerabilities. 

Cybersecurity is a top priority for our customers. You may be asking yourself - do I really need to be worried about the security of my networked print devices? The answer is a resounding YES.  Introducing Sharp's Print Security Service, providing 24/7 event monitoring by our team of cyber and print security experts. 

A 2023 study found that 68% of organizations in the United States and Europe experienced data loss due to unsecure printing. Modern multi-functional printers (MFPs) offer a wide array of advanced productivity features to keep employees engaged and connect them to various business applications. Given their strategic importance in today’s workplace, how can we ensure MFPs have proper security measures in place so that they avoid becoming weak points that open doors to bad actors? Following are some steps Sharp has taken to address this.

The rapid growth of cloud computing and hybrid workstyles in recent years has increased the number of endpoints that threat actors can attack. Copiers and multifunction printers, one of the most important endpoints in the office environment, are vital communication hubs for an organizations’ business processes and must be protected against security threats. Download this infographic to see how we've taken measures to secure your data in our new series of copiers. 

Per the recent Shields Up advisory issued by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency, it is quite possible that the U.S. will see a large increase in cyber-attacks. While there are no specific cyber threats to the U.S. currently, this conflict has brought cybersecurity conversations to the forefront. In light of this, and as trusted technology advisors, we have been in close conversation with our clients to guide them on steps they can take to boost their cybersecurity posture and help to keep their organization safe. We would like to take a moment and share some of these guidelines with you as well, as these should be adopted by all businesses, especially at a time like this.

Recently, a security vulnerability in an open-source library called Log4J2 was made public on December 9, 2021. The Log4J2 library is a logging framework widely deployed within many Java-based applications. If the vulnerability is exploited, malicious intruders can pass and execute malware into the framework that could potentially allow them to access sensitive date and take control of targeted systems. Sharp has been working to assess the risk of the Log4J2 security vulnerability and how it affects Sharp document systems, professional and commercial display products and related applications, and services.

The ever-growing pile of help desk tickets for printer issues isn’t going away. In fact, 77% of small and medium-sized businesses said their IT environments have become more complex. Yet, your IT staff is already stretched thin, and the last thing they want to deal with is another stubborn paper jam.  A Managed Print Services provider takes on the management of your entire print environment to provide much more than just a break-fix service.

Stay ahead of malicious intruders with leading-edge print security features from Sharp including firmware attack prevention and self recovery, whitelisting capability, encrypted secure printing, user authentication, Active Directory trusted device status and end-of-lease feature.

Just picture this— you’re a new employee diligently working, and out of the blue, your CEO e-mails you, asking for 10 Amazon gift cards. She says it’s for an important project she’s working on and she needs the gift cards ASAP! The pressure is on and you take a break from your hectic to-do list, and begin ordering the gift cards, until you realize… the person emailing is not your boss after all, but rather, a sneaky cybercriminal. And just like that, you are the newest victim of a phishing scam. How mortifying, right? Well luckily, there are steps that can be taken in order to avoid such embarrassing catastrophes.

If you think about your day, you do a lot to ensure the security of your person and your belongings. Leaving the house? Lock the doors and windows, possibly set the security system. Leaving your car? Always make sure to hear that beep as you walk away clicking the lock button on your keypad. Going into the office? Probably need that key fob to get into the building. These actions are so simple that we sometimes don’t even realize we’re doing them – and that’s how simple securing your company’s data from cybercriminals should be.

When you think about securing highly sensitive documents, cybersecurity probably comes to mind first. And while protecting your digital files is significantly important, you also need to address the most basic security issues – such as inadvertently leaving important documents lying around on or near a printer – that could have an adverse effect on your business.  That’s exactly what one offshore drilling company was faced with when they approached their local Sharp dealer to upgrade their equipment once their lease was up on their high-speed, color multifunction printers (MFPs).

It is no secret that in this age of new normality increased security threats, such as phishing or ransomware attacks, are a very real concern. Almost all devices are prone to cybersecurity threats and office printers and multifunction devices (MFPs) are no exception.