May 19, 2025
Is Your Office Printer One of Your Biggest Cybersecurity Risks?
If I asked you to name the biggest cybersecurity threats in your office, you'd probably say phishing emails, malware, or weak passwords.
But what if I told you that your office printer—yes, the one quietly humming in the corner—might be one of the biggest vulnerabilities in your entire network?
It sounds ridiculous, but hackers love printers. And most businesses don't realize how much of a risk they pose—until it's too late.
In 2020, Cybernews ran the "Printer Hack Experiment." Out of 50,000 exposed devices, they successfully compromised 56% of them—that's nearly 28,000 printers. And all they did was instruct the printers to print a sheet on security awareness.
🧐 Why Would Hackers Target Printers?
Because printers are goldmines of sensitive data.
They process everything from payroll and contracts to legal and medical records. And most offices don't secure them properly.
Here's what can happen when a hacker gains access to your printer:
📁 Stored Data Is Up for Grabs
Modern printers store digital copies of every document printed, scanned, or copied. If the printer has a hard drive, years of sensitive files could be sitting inside—just waiting to be stolen or reprinted.
🔑 Default Passwords Are an Open Door
Many printers still use factory logins like "admin/admin" or "123456." If no one changes them, hackers can log in with zero effort.
🌐 Your Printer = Network Entry Point
Printers are connected to your Wi-Fi or internal network. Once compromised, they can be used to:
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Install malware or ransomware
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Steal data from other devices
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Escalate attacks across your entire infrastructure
🕵️ Unencrypted Print Jobs Can Be Intercepted
If your print jobs aren't encrypted, hackers can intercept them mid-transfer. That means confidential client data, contracts, or health records could be stolen—before they even hit paper.
👀 Remote Spying Through Scan-to-Email
Many printers can scan directly to email or cloud storage. If compromised, hackers can:
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View scanned documents
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Access stored files
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Monitor emails sent through the device
⚠️ Outdated Firmware = Open Season
Most printers rarely (if ever) get firmware updates. That means known vulnerabilities stay unpatched, leaving your office open to exploitation.
🗑️ Data Mining Discarded Printers
Printers that are thrown away or resold without being wiped can expose old:
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Contracts
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Client records
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Employee data
Yes, hackers buy old printers just to mine their hard drives.
🔒 How to Secure Your Office Printers
Take these steps today to shut down this blind spot in your network:
✅ Change Default Passwords
Use strong, unique passwords for printer admin access—just like you would for your bank account.
✅ Update Printer Firmware
Check for firmware updates regularly or have your IT provider handle this as part of your routine maintenance.
✅ Encrypt Print Jobs
Enable secure print and use end-to-end encryption, especially for sensitive departments like HR, finance, or legal.
✅ Restrict Access
Limit who can print to the device. Use PIN codes or access control lists to reduce unnecessary exposure.
✅ Clear Stored Data
Delete old print jobs. If your printer has a hard drive, encrypt it—and wipe or destroy it before recycling or resale.
✅ Place Printers Behind a Firewall
Treat your printer like any other endpoint. It should be firewalled and monitored.
✅ Monitor Print Activity
Have your IT team check for unusual activity—like print jobs in the middle of the night or from unknown users.
🖨️ Printers Aren't Just Office Equipment—They're a Cybersecurity Risk
Businesses often overlook printers because, well, it's "just a printer."
But that's exactly what hackers are counting on.
If you're locking down your servers and endpoints but ignoring your printers, you're leaving a backdoor wide open.
🔍 Want to Know If Your Printers Are Secure?
Let's find out together.
Book a FREE 10-minute Discovery Call and we'll talk through your current network setup, identify risks, and help ensure your printers (and everything else) aren't putting your business at risk.