Should You Password-Protect Your Copiers Service?

Perhaps one of the most important devices in an office, the copier offers everyone the ability to quickly send multiple copies of work to clients, vendors, and within themselves. However, because it is seen as a communal device, security measures are often neglected or ignored completely. However, doing so can not only place your own work in danger but also the company’s work as a whole. This is why it is so important to password-protect your copier as soon as possible. You may be asking why this is a problem even nothing has ever happened? Understandably, this can be a difficult issue to understand at first. The following includes further information on the importance of password-protecting your copiers service and how to go about accomplishing that.

Why Copier Security Is Important

Advocates of cybersecurity can stand on a rooftop yelling that you need to secure your copier all they want. Action often doesn’t occur until someone explains the reason for the security. Here are a few of the weaknesses that copier machines hold and how they can drastically affect your overall security.

A Copiers Service Internal Data Risk

One of the most surprising things that office workers find out about a copiers service is that it can actually store a lot of data within the machine. Both personal and communal copiers have internal hard drives and will often hold onto various details of the type of documents they just emailed, scanned, and copied. In fact, most people don’t even find out about it until a repair copy machine service informs them about the hard drive. So, why does this matter? It matters because if the hard drive stores data, that means just about anyone can retrieve it. In some cases, thieves will target decommissioned copiers as a means of stealing personal data.

Change the Settings

Perhaps the easiest thing to do for someone who is looking to steal important documents and other information is to simply alter the copier’s settings. Without security measures, someone can easily go into the settings and redirect certain documents to their own computers. In cases where there is no malicious intent, an employee can accidentally wipe out an entire address book and cause the company both a major headache and some damage to its reputation after having to ask each and every client for their information all over again.

How to Protect Your Copier Through Password Protecting and More

Stated above are the various ways that your copier can be compromised. Next, includes the importance of password protecting your copier as well as many other ways you can ensure that your information is safe from both your own employees and hackers.

Relocate and Password Protect

If the copier machine is a communal device, bringing it into your office may not be the best of ideas. Placing it within its own room where nobody can see also won’t work. Instead, relocate the printer to a public location where it’s visible to you and other members of your management team. Now, if only certain staff members may use the copier, you should implement a password that only those particular employees know. This may help to minimize the amount of information shared online. Finally, if you foresee any issues with moving and damaging your copier in the process, seek the service of a copier repair Las Vegas company. These highly experienced professionals know how to move various types of copiers without breaking or accidentally erasing information from the machine.

Password-Protect Your Settings

We mentioned the risks that come from allowing just anyone to access your copier’s settings. Fortunately, there is a way to ensure that does not happen within your own office. All you have to do is go into the settings and look for the security tab. Within that tab, you’ll be able to find and choose to place a password on your settings. Then, next time someone attempts to change something within it, they’ll be prompted to input a password before going any further. If you need assistance with this, there are plenty of printer repair Las Vegas companies that will be happy to come in and help you.

Password-Protect Mobile Devices

Over the years, more and more offices have implemented mobile devices for communal and individual use. This helps to ensure that information remains secure within one device while keeping the daily need for making and sending copies going. Although this is a great way to minimize the number of mobile devices connected to your copier, there are still some holes within its security. For example, you still need to use wi-fi to send information to your copier. Unfortunately, the risk of hacking still remains. In this case, most copier repair professionals recommend that you include various passwords in your mobile devices. This can help to both minimize the number of people who use those devices but also keep hackers from seeing all your daily activity.

Encrypting Your Copier

The reality of today’s world is that passwords alone are not going to be enough to protect your copier from being hacked into. This is because the minute you access your main interface, hackers have an open door to begin stealing information. To be clear, your information stays protected from computer to computer. Still, if you attempt to send information to your copier via text message or a webpage, that could lead to a security breach. This is why you will also need to utilize what is called encryption, aka, a secure socket level (SSL) certificate. An SSL certificate will help to protect and hide your information as it goes through the internet or your phone. If you want to go a step further, you may also want to think about encrypting your hard drive.