Whitepaper: Secure Printing

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Admin Options

Admin print software allows IT managers to control how individual documents are printed, as well as setting vital parameters, such as how long a job is retained before it is deleted, and the usage permissions for each jobs, etc.

Good administration software should also allow for the print costs to be fairly allocated across the various business units, but it also plays a vital role in spotting potential security breaches, and for identifying who is doing what. Is a particular worker printing out the customer database for example?

Meanwhile print logs contain valuable data that is often very useful for the system admins, especially when forensically tracing the loss of a particular document etc. The logs also allow admins to investigate a particular user’s job log history and create individual or departmental usage reports.

Secure Scanning and Faxing

Some MFPs do offer secure scanning options. This is where the scanned data is delivered to a PC or a user by utilising some form of encryption. But often security falls down here when the document is actually outputted (either via hard copy or PDF file). Samsung Secure Data for example allows an organisation to encrypt a PDF file to protect its contents from unauthorised access. And users can add a digital signature to the PDF file.

For actual hard (i.e. physical) output, watermarks or log numbers can also provide a secure option, allowing authorities to trace the individual responsible for printing the document.

Another interesting point is that it can also be easy for admins nowadays to overlook the security of their faxing operations. Fax machines often have large image memories that retain documents, hence posing a security risk. Again it is worth consulting your supplier here for bespoke solutions.

Samsung for example offers its Secure Fax feature that restricts unauthorised access to received fax documents. With this option, all received faxed documents are stored in memory and are password-protected so the user can only access or print the fax with the appropriate password.

Solutions like this are important, bearing in mind that faxes are still extensively used in certain legal or financial circles.

Conclusion

We have briefly touched upon some of the issues regarding the securing the organisation’s print environment.

The print environment remains an area that is overlooked for security vulnerabilities, and organisations must incorporate secure printing into their everyday security endeavours.

A secure printing solution allows for the outputting needs of an organisation to be correctly assigned to the relevant individual and department. Not only does this boost the overall security of an organisation, but it will also help the business in their ongoing battle to control costs and reduce operational expenses.

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