Speaking with Infosecurity, he said: “People don’t realise that most office [high-end] printers are actually a server. I always ask my audiences at conferences whether they know this and a good 40 percent say they don’t.”
Most modern MFPs contain hard drive units that record all printing and scanning tasks on the device. These files are usually unencrypted and can easily be accessed by others, potentially risking sensitive information if the machine is sold or leased.
“This is a potentially major security issue that companies using high-end printer technology should be aware of,” Taylor told Infosecurity.
“Just as computer hard drives need erasing at the end of their working life [in an organisation] so the printer hard drive also needs wiping.”
The Infosecurity article can be read here.
New Jersey politicians are currently presenting legislation to protect users from the issue. Click here to read more on The Recycler.