Successful hybrid working depends heavily on collaboration tools for employees to communicate and share information across networks. While these tools are essential to the hybrid workforce, they can also be a critical point of vulnerability – which cybercriminals are keen to exploit.
As companies continue to develop their hybrid working plans, it is more important than ever to prioritise information security to access and manage complete document workflows through the cloud, allowing teams to continue working as usual, from any location.
Changes in data protection regulations also mean that businesses must take more control of how they collect, process and store company and personal data. This includes data residing in printers and multi-functional devices. Those that do not comply with such regulations can face heavy fines and significant reputational damage.
New research [1] highlights that 79% of organisations expect their print security spend to increase over the next 12 months. With the top 3 print security challenges being articulated as maintaining security of printing management software at 35%; protecting confidential/sensitive information from being printed at 34% and finally, 31% stating that security of printing in home/remote environments is a challenge.
Information security with your devices
Printers and scanners can present unlocked doors to hackers who know how and where to look for them. Within a trusted network, like that typically used in a company office, the ability to access devices remotely offers numerous benefits. However sometimes – often inadvertently – equipment like home printers can be connected to untrusted networks, and even directly to the internet, without passwords or firewalls. Modern multi-functional printers are endpoint devices and are just as powerful as a PC. As a result, it is possible for printer firmware to be targeted by hackers attempting to gain access to the network and corporate data. An attacker could make changes to email directories so a document can be sent to a recipient outside the organisation.
Combining best practices and smart technology policies
Providing training and guidelines to employees, while important, is unlikely to be enough to mitigate or avoid all information security challenges. Selecting the right technology processes and protocols can help circumvent information security issues caused by human error.
Importantly, there are tools on multi-functional printers to prevent people accessing documents they should not such as PINs, ID cards and permissions based on role, department, seniority and more. These tools provide reassurance that information kept on-site will not fall into the wrong hands.
Security and compliance challenges
Security and compliance should be central to the planning of any future business operating model. Whether it is software platforms, hardware or governance, companies need to continually review their security strategy to ensure it is ready to deal with the changing threat landscape fostered by hybrid working. Many organisations are already taking action with 48% of IT decision-makers polled in a European survey planning to make cyber security infrastructure a technology investment priority in the hybrid working era, and 40% intending to spend more on IT training for staff.
Digital transformation – which has been accelerated for many organisations owing to the pandemic – will have taken care of many security and compliance issues. GDPR compliance can be automated and built into processes, for instance. But there remain questions to ask. Where are your security vulnerabilities? Do you have the resources to find and fix them in-house, or would a third-party specialist give you peace of mind? Do all staff – from new recruits to C-suite – understand the risks inherent in hybrid working? Would training give you confidence to make critical business decisions? And do you need to launch new policies around office hardware use to mitigate the challenges caused by human behaviour.
Addressing security in the new world of hybrid working
Canon is recognised by the IDC MarketScape as a leader in worldwide security solutions and services. Their solutions and services help to secure all documents and sensitive data – whether on paper or in digital format – across the document lifecycle, without impacting people’s ability to access the information they require to do their jobs. This means that Canon’s solutions and services are secure by design, security-checked against the highest industry standards and focused on all aspects of information security.
This approach to security does not stop after sale. Highline Office Technology can help maintain data compliance and protect sensitive data throughout the lifetime of the print and scan infrastructure, from device hardening to secure disposal of devices at the end of their life. Get in touch today to find out more.
