How to Make MFPs Part of Your Cybersecurity Strategy

How to Make MFPs Part of Your Cybersecurity Strategy

By Tony Ko, Vice President of Hardware and Business Solutions

When organizations think about cybersecurity, the conversation usually starts with computers, servers and networks. But there’s another connected endpoint that’s often overlooked: the multifunction printer (MFP).

Today’s MFPs do much more than print and copy. They connect to networks, scan sensitive documents and transmit information across an organization. Without appropriate safeguards, these devices can introduce security gaps.

Including MFPs in your cybersecurity strategy helps protect your business information, reduce risk and support more secure document workflows.

Below are some practical ways to help keep your MFP fleet secure.

Start With The Basics: Secure Your devices

Keeping MFPs securely configured and up to date with the latest firmware is an important first step. Like other connected devices, MFPs require ongoing maintenance to address potential security vulnerabilities and support reliable operation.

For Katun Arivia MFPs, check with your service provider to understand how firmware updates are managed, including how updates are monitored and applied. Regularly reviewing device settings, limiting administrator access and disabling unnecessary network services can also help reduce exposure to potential threats.

Access controls are another important consideration. User permissions and automatic session timeouts can help prevent unauthorized access, while secure print features can keep confidential documents from sitting unattended in an output tray.

Protect Information As It Moves

An MFP often handles sensitive information as it moves between a user's computer, the device, a file server, an email system or another scan destination. That information needs appropriate protection throughout the process.

It’s worth asking a simple question: Do we know how information moves through our print and scan workflows, and are those communications adequately protected?

Securing these connections can help reduce the risk of information being intercepted or accessed without authorization. Ask your IT team or print provider to confirm that encryption and other safeguards protect sensitive information throughout your print and scan workflows.

Make Scanning Simpler And Safer

Sending a document to the wrong recipient or shared folder can expose confidential information. When employees manually enter email addresses or choose destinations from a long list, mistakes can happen.

Approved, preconfigured scan destinations can help reduce these errors by making authorized options easier to identify and select. Katun’s Workplace Solutions portfolio includes solutions that can help organizations establish structured scanning workflows and apply access controls to supported device functions and destinations.

The goal is to make secure document handling part of the everyday workflow, without adding unnecessary complexity for employees.

Think About Monitoring And Access

Security doesn't end once an MFP is configured. Organizations also need visibility into security-related activity and routine device operations.

Security monitoring can help IT teams review device activity and investigate potential concerns. Audit logs, for example, may capture repeated failed login attempts, giving teams useful information to investigate. Ask your provider what activity is recorded, how long records are retained and how they’re reviewed.

Fleet monitoring plays a different but equally important role. Tools such as MPS Monitor and Katun's eXplorer can help IT teams and print providers monitor fleet performance and identify issues like low toner or paper jams. This visibility supports timely maintenance and helps minimize disruption.

Authentication is another important layer of protection. Employees can use a compatible identification badge or another supported login method to access authorized functions and release confidential print jobs, helping reduce the risk of documents being collected by the wrong person.

Arivia MFPs offer native authentication controls, while solutions such as MyQ and compatible card readers, like Katun's HID card reader, can support additional authentication and secure print-release requirements.

Together, appropriate access controls, authentication and device monitoring help organizations take a more comprehensive approach to security.

Make MFP Security Part Of The Conversation

One of the most important steps in securing your MFP fleet is making device security a regular part of your organization’s cybersecurity discussions. MFP security doesn't need to be a separate initiative; it should be considered alongside the systems, users and workflows already covered by your broader security strategy.  

The next time your organization reviews its cybersecurity plan, ask:

-    Are our MFPs securely configured and regularly updated?
-    Who can access device functions and confidential print jobs?
-    Do we have the tools in place to help keep our MFP fleet secure?
-    Is sensitive information encrypted as it moves between systems?
-    Are scan destinations controlled?
-    Are device events and activity being monitored?
-    What happens to data stored on a device when it is replaced, returned or disposed of?

Katun can help you explore these questions and identify solutions that support your organization’s specific needs.

A secure print environment involves more than the devices themselves. It requires devices, software, users, data and workflows to work together securely. By including MFPs in the cybersecurity conversation, organizations can address an often-overlooked area of risk and strengthen their overall security strategy.

Explore Katun’s Arivia MFPs and Workplace Solutions to discover how the right devices, software and workflows can support a more secure print environment. For more details on Arivia’s security features, read our Arivia Security White Paper.