What is printer security?

Printer security is a general term for a set of practices that you need to adopt in order to prevent hackers from infiltrating your network. This includes things like keeping your printer’s firmware up-to-date, protecting your network with a secure password, and ensuring your device is physically secure. These practices are necessary because hackers can use even a simple printer to cause serious harm .

What tools do I need to secure my printer?

To avoid hackers exploiting your printer , you need to take preventative steps. I identified 5 pillars of printer security . Follow those steps and you’ll greatly enhance your security. As for specific tools, I recommend using an antivirus on every device that connects to your printer. You may also want to use a VPN to anonymize your web traffic.

What kind of security features do printers come with?

Every printer will come with different features, but in general, you can expect a printer to come with built-in access controls like a secure print mode that requires a password or PIN code to work. Most modern printers also come with firmware integrity checks, which scan your printer for tampering before sending print requests. In most settings, you’ll want to set your printer to use the strictest security options due to the risks posed by hackers accessing your network.

Can my normal antivirus get rid of a virus on my printer?

No, normal antiviruses won’t work on a printer. Because they use a completely different operating system, the antivirus you use on your computer won’t work on your printer. That said, printers can be infected with malware (and spread it too), so you’ll want to look out for the warning signs . And if suspect your printer is infected, you can follow my steps to resolve the issue.

Artikel von Tyler Cross

Tyler Cross

Tyler ist Autor bei SafetyDetectives und recherchiert leidenschaftlich gerne über alles, was mit Technik und Cybersicherheit zu tun hat. Bevor er Teil des SafetyDetectives-Teams wurde, arbeitete er mehr als fünf Jahre lang direkt mit Cybersecurity-Produkten, darunter Passwort-Managern, Antivirenprogrammen und VPNs, und lernte alles über ihre Anwendungsfälle und Funktionen. Wenn er nicht gerade als „SafetyDetective“ arbeitet, interessiert er sich für Geschichte, recherchiert Investitionsmöglichkeiten, schreibt Romane und spielt Dungeons and Dragons mit Freunden.