Is Your Printer the Biggest Security Threat in Your Office?

When most business owners think about cybersecurity threats, they go straight to phishing emails, ransomware, or weak passwords. Fair enough—those are real issues.

But let me ask you something: Have you checked your printer lately?

No, seriously.

That quiet machine in the corner—the one cranking out invoices and payroll reports—might just be one of the biggest security blind spots in your entire office.

I know it sounds strange, but hackers love printers. Why? Because nobody’s watching them. And that’s exactly what makes them dangerous.

In 2020, Cybernews ran a “Printer Hack Experiment.” Out of 50,000 printers they targeted, they hacked over 28,000 of them—more than half—and got them to print out warning messages. That wasn’t a sophisticated attack. It was basic security negligence, and it worked.

Why Printers?

Because they’re loaded with data. Contracts, employee records, client files—everything that passes through your business probably hits a printer at some point. And most offices don’t lock them down.

Here’s what I’ve seen happen—and what could happen to you:

• Stored data gets exposed. Most modern printers store digital copies of documents—sometimes for years. If someone gains access, they can steal, reprint, or worse, leak sensitive files without you knowing.

• Default logins are never changed. A ton of printers are still using “admin/admin” or “123456” as credentials. If that’s the case in your office, a hacker doesn’t even have to try.

• They’re connected to your network. Once compromised, a printer becomes a launchpad. Malware, ransomware, data theft—it can all flow from that one unsecured endpoint.

• Intercepted print jobs. Without encryption, it’s not hard to snoop on documents in transit. That includes legal contracts, financials, and even healthcare records.

• Firmware gets ignored. When was the last time your printer got a security update? Exactly.

• Old printers get tossed without wiping data. Yes, discarded devices still contain data. I’ve seen it happen. It’s a compliance nightmare waiting to happen.

What You Can Do—Right Now

If your business is taking printer security lightly, here are six things I recommend doing today:

1. Change the default password. Treat your printer login like you would your bank account. Strong, unique, and not “admin123.”

2. Update the firmware. Security patches exist for a reason. Make it part of your routine.

3. Encrypt your print jobs. Enable secure print options to prevent document interception.

4. Control access. Set up PIN codes or user permissions so only authorized team members can print.

5. Wipe stored data regularly. If your printer has a hard drive, encrypt it—and wipe it clean before disposal.

6. Put it behind your firewall. Just like every other endpoint in your network, your printer should be protected.

And if you’re not already logging and monitoring printer activity? Start now. Any strange access attempts or late-night print jobs should raise a red flag.

Bottom Line: Printers Aren’t Just Office Equipment—They’re Attack Vectors

You might have a solid firewall, antivirus, and security policies in place. But if you’re ignoring your printers, you’re leaving the back door wide open.

At Securafy, we help SMBs plug gaps exactly like this—before attackers exploit them. If you’re not sure how secure your office environment really is, I’m happy to take a look.