Many times complacency plagues the ability to transition, but are the concerns about technology, its power, and its security concerns founded? Our phones, household appliances, vehicles, and workstations are transforming before our eyes, and even our printers have jumped into the digital age. MFPs are showing up more and more in every industry, and the security concerns of taking the paper process online has many worried about the potential security threats. Should you worry about MFP security concerns?
What is a MFP, and why is Security a Concern?
An MFP, or Multifunction Printer, is an all-in-one machine that takes the paper process online and streamlines communication in offices. Standard machines typically print, copy, and fax. These machines are hooked up to the computer’s system, and wireless connectivity permits standard machines to print via a WiFi connection, while faxes still send and receive via a standard telephone line. MFPs take it to an entirely new level.
Because MFPs are integrated into a company’s larger infrastructure, new threats arise. MFPs experience a number of different security issues that do not concern traditional 3-in-1 printers.
As with anything else you do online, at your desk, in a meeting, or over the phone, a lapse in security and proper planning opens the device and the company to potential loss and intrusion. Companies that employ the use of MFPs must have a plan for use, a strategy for protection, and professional support. MFPs are computer machines, and it takes a team of experts, such as Matthijssen, to actively monitor and manage risks before they even occur and take a company down with them.
Should You Worry About MFPs?
It is not enough to plug in and go. In the US and Western Europe, nearly 30 million printers and MFPs are installed in homes and businesses, which means they are all connected the network on which they operate. The potential for intrusion is high, yes, and it is because security and care are often practiced only on PCs and laptops. Honestly, MFPs do not receive the professional attention they need to reduce the risk. Everyone from hackers to employees put these systems at risk. Only 6 percent of employees feel their MFPs are a security risk to their companies. Without a management and audit strategy, a data breach can cause a company thousands, or even millions of dollars.
How to Protect Your MFP
MFP security must be a part of the daily habits. Lock it up and secure it as you would your device, desktops and confidential files. Include the company’s MFPS in the daily network and security habits, consult the experts at Matthijssen to protect the data, secure the network, restrict access, manage the MFPs, and create a security wall that eliminates the risk for a devastating loss.