By Daren Hayward
Director
Activ8
TECHNOLOGY is fantastic. It has helped businesses to automate processes, increase productivity, and communicate faster than ever before. Crucial pieces of office equipment like our printer or photocopier now integrate seamlessly into modern, often complex IT environments to enable us to carry out work for the betterment of our businesses. These devices have their own hard drives, and unfortunately as they become more interconnected, we open ourselves up to sophisticated cyber threats, but only if we fail to properly secure them.
Why is it imperative that we take the time to protect our businesses?
With organisations like Facebook, T-Mobile, and British Airways being stung by breaches, and compromising the confidential data of millions of people, there’s no such thing as being too careful.
Breaches from photocopiers can come from something as simple as leaving prints unattended, but they can be costly to organisations in both data stolen or lost, and actions required to correct them. Breaches could lead to hours of downtime for organisations where print is mission critical, meaning staff can’t work, deadlines are missed, business is lost, and reputations that have taken decades to build are irreparably damaged. And let’s not forget, the General Data Protection Regulations came into force in May 2018 to ensure organisations are careful with EU national data, and businesses can accrue financial penalties if found uncompliant.
What can you do?
It’s not all doom and gloom. There are simple things you can do right now. Controlling access to your devices is an important first step. Intuitive print management software lets you stop unauthorised employees or external entities from accessing prints by requiring the user to authenticate with a password or the pass of a fob or ID card. You can also ensure that your photocopier hard drive is encrypted, and properly erased before selling. Forward-thinking manufacturers like Sharp offer a Common Criteria Certified, multi-layered approach to device security, which covers user and device controls, ports, protocols, and applications as standard. So don’t waste any more time. Get secure. Contact Activ8 to find out more on 0333 999 7355, email or www.a8mt.co.uk