Top threats to print security and how to mitigate them

Every application, system, and device in an organization shares a like purpose — to handle information. This includes printers.

Creating secure print services for employees does more than create seamless workflows and boost productivity; it safeguards information against the top threats to print and information security today.

By using mitigation strategies, best practices and taking a proactive, multi-layered security approach, you can protect information across the entire document lifecycle and strengthen your organization’s security posture.

Why secure print services matter more than ever

Print environments handle data at multiple stages — capture, processing, output, and storage. Digital documents need to be secured. So do paper documents.

An organization can no more allow printed documents to lay around on a printer than it can allow unencrypted data, open ports, weak passwords, and unsecured pull printing to proliferate across an organization.

It’s a big reason so many organizations are embracing centralized print management and managed print services partners. These approaches help improve print security and resolve risks lurking in unmanaged print fleets.

The consequences of unsecured printers can be severe:

• Data breaches and compliance violations (e.g. HIPAA, PCI DSS, GLBA, FERPA)

• Operational downtime from compromised devices

• Costly remediation and reputational damage

Even a single abandoned page can trigger a reportable incident.

And hybrid work environments and mobile printing only add complexity, making zero-trust controls and continuous monitoring essential to address the top threats to information passing through devices in an organization.

Top three threats to print security

1. Unauthorized access and data breaches: Weak credentials, exposed admin panels and unsecured wireless networks can allow unauthorized users to view or extract documents. Physical risks persist too — sensitive pages left in output trays or on shared scanner glass are easy targets.

2. Malware attacks: Unpatched firmware and vulnerable protocols (like legacy SNMP) can serve as weak points in an organization’s security posture and can become targets for threat actors.

3. Insider threats and accidental exposure: Misaddressed print jobs, improper disposal of hard drives and broad permissions can expose PII (personal identification information), intellectual property or financial data. Employees bypassing controls for convenience can heighten the risk.

Mitigation strategies that work

To reduce the pitfalls and strengthen print security, organizations should focus on these proven practices:

• Adopt strong authentication: Require user authentication at the device using PINs, smart cards, biometrics, or single sign-on. Secure print release ensures documents only print when authorized users are present.

• Keep firmware and patches current: Apply signed firmware updates regularly and disable unused ports and protocols. For example, at Ricoh, our devices support routine patching and security hardening aligned with enterprise policies.

• Monitor and control access: Enforce least-privilege permissions by user or group. Apply print rules to restrict color, external emailing or bulk jobs. Centralize logs for auditing and anomaly detection. For some organizations, using Intelligent Managed Print Services can deliver ongoing monitoring, configuration baselines and compliance reporting — offering more comprehensive secure print services.

Best practices for a secured print environment

As part of your print security strategy, add these guidelines to your checklist:

• Establish a print security policy with clear roles, approved workflows, and incident response steps.

• Train employees to collect printouts promptly, verify recipients, and use secure release features.

• Deploy secured solutions like job encryption, locked print, DataOverwriteSecurity System, signed firmware, compulsory security stamp, fax number confirmation, and audit logging.

• Sanitize or destroy drives at end-of-lease.

• Conduct periodic penetration tests and policy reviews.

• Use products with independent security standards and certifications, such as Common Criteria, PP_HCD_V1.0, ISO/IEC 15408, IEEE 2600.2 and FIPS 140-2/3 certifications.

• Employ third-party managed services for expert guidance, assessments, policies, implementation, monitoring and management of devices.

Why a print partner may make sense

Securing information across an organization, including across its print environment, requires tools, resources, and people. For some organizations, finding the expertise or time to handle it all can be difficult.

A print services partner can help. For example, at Ricoh, our decades of experience helping organizations safeguard their information has made security a party of our DNA. We offer security-first device design, managed services, and consultative expertise to help our customers reduce risk across their print ecosystems.

A partnership in securing print can simplify compliance and improve efficiency through centralized policy management and continuous monitoring. You gain a unified framework to address the top threats to print security and how to prevent them — backed by proven tools and a team dedicated to continuous improvement and adaptation.

If you’d like to learn more, let's talk.