Hackers can use printers to get on your network
July 15, 2010 by Sam NarisiPosted in: In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Security
Lately, you’ve probably heard a lot about the security risks posed by copiers and printers with built-in hard drives. But there’s another reason those devices could pose problems:
They could give hackers access to your network.
Printers and copiers these days run their own powerful computers, often with common operating systems. And companies often neglect to give the those devices the same care they give to computers on the network.
That means vulnerabilities in the printers’ software go unpatched, giving hackers a back door onto the network. From there can access computers and other network devices, or simply use the access to the machine itself to get copies of everything that’s printed or copied on the device.
To keep your network safe:
- Scan networked equipment for software vulnerabilities
- Disconnect unused network devices, and
- When new equipment is bought, find out what software it runs, how it’s patched, and other security details.
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