Securing Enterprise Print Fleets Against Endpoint Vulnerabilities

When Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) audit their enterprise networks, they meticulously lock down servers, deploy advanced endpoint detection on laptops, and encrypt cloud storage.

Yet, in many organizations, an entire fleet of network-attached endpoints sits completely unsecured, processing the company's most sensitive financial, legal, and HR documents: the enterprise print fleet.

The Unseen Threat Vector

Modern enterprise multifunction printers (MFPs) are essentially high-powered computers. They have hard drives, operating systems, and direct connections to the corporate network.

• Physical Interception: Highly sensitive documents left sitting on an output tray are easily intercepted by unauthorized personnel.
• Hard Drive Data Theft: Every document printed, scanned, or faxed is temporarily (or permanently) stored on the MFP's internal hard drive.
• Network Infiltration: Unpatched printers with default administrator passwords are a primary vector for lateral network movement by bad actors.

The Solution: Managed Print Security

Securing a fleet of 500+ printers across 40 national branches requires a centralized, policy-driven approach. NuWays deploys advanced Print Management architectures to eliminate these vulnerabilities.

1. Secure Pull-Printing

With pull-printing (also known as follow-me printing), documents are never sent directly to a physical machine. Instead, they are held in a secure, encrypted virtual queue. The document is only released and printed when the user walks up to any authorized printer on the network and authenticates via an RFID badge or biometric scan. Zero abandoned documents. Zero physical interception.

2. End-of-Life Data Wiping

When a leased printer reaches the end of its lifecycle and is removed from the corporate environment, its hard drive contains a treasure trove of sensitive data. NuWays enforces strict DoD-level data wipe protocols, completely destroying all latent data before the machine ever leaves your facility.

Conclusion

A secure network with an unsecured print fleet is a compromised network. By partnering with an enterprise Managed Print Services provider, organizations can close this critical security gap while simultaneously reducing print costs.