The MFP doesn’t get the attention it deserves during the security conversation, and it’s quite perplexing. Just like PCs and servers, MFPs have their own CPU and memory, run their own applications, and connect to the Internet and private corporate network. But unlike PCs and servers, MFPs are generally less secure—this makes them an attractive target for ne’er-do-wells.
It’s Like Stealing Candy from a 50-Pound, Toner-Fueled Baby
You don’t need fancy exploits or gadgets to steal information from a printer. There is no shortage of unlocked MFPs connected to repositories housing sensitive data that anyone can walk up to and print from. In many cases, you won’t even need to interact with the device: Output trays across the globe are treasure troves of sensitive documents, waiting for anyone to come by and scoop them up.
But this is an easy risk to eliminate. MyQ enables businesses to lock MFPs so only authorized personnel has access. Administrators can define user permissions, so workers only have access to the repositories and features that they need to get the job done. For example, the IT department can create permissions that only allow employees in HR and the accounting department to see and print from the payroll folder. Not only does this prevent curious employees from snooping around in places they shouldn't be, which could lead to compliance issues with privacy regulations, but it also limits what an attacker with stolen credentials can access.
MyQ also comes with secure pull printing, which eliminates those piles of documents with sensitive information from accumulating in the output tray. Although pull printing is a fairly common print management feature, MyQ does it with a twist. Users submit their jobs to a queue (local or cloud), where they sit until users authenticate at a device and release them. But unlike other solutions where users must authenticate with a PIN or username/password, MyQ users do so by using their smartphone or tablet camera to scan a QR code on the device’s control panel. Once authenticated, they can release select jobs—or print all of them—on their phone. This protects sensitive information from being leaked at the MFP, yes, but it also provides users with a touchless solution for operating the MFP, limiting exposure to COVID-19 and other contagions.
Remote Work Is Exacerbating the Problem
According to Keypoint Intelligence’s 2020 IT Decision Maker Survey, nearly half of all respondents said that data security is the most difficult challenge for supporting more employees who work from home. Their primary concerns are that company data is leaving the corporate firewall, less-secure home-based devices are being used to access company data, and that vulnerable VPN technologies are being used to access the corporate network.
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| Source: 2020 Keypoint Intelligence IT Decision Maker Survey |
With MyQ in the cloud, though, the IT team can mitigate these security risks. By lifting infrastructure to the cloud and implementing a solution like MyQ Roger, you don’t need to rely on VPN tech to establish a secure connection. All your data is stored in a secure, redundant cloud environment, so users don’t have to connect to the corporate network to be productive. Your data doesn’t need to leave the corporate firewall or be loaded into devices you don’t control, either. MyQ printed and scanned documents are not sent through the MyQ Cloud server—rather, users connect and communicate with the server for the sole purpose of verifying the user and the profiles/functions available to them. Document data is transferred directly from the user’s device/cloud services to the output device they authenticate at.
Do you want to fire up your firm’s digitization and get the automation wheels turning? Try advanced scan-to-cloud workflows with MyQ Roger!
