Managed Print Security: Printer Risks and MPS Solutions

At a Glance:

Most organizations apply rigorous security controls to servers, laptops, and endpoints while leaving networked printers running on default credentials and unpatched firmware on the same network
Printers store documents, accept network connections, and hold firmware that requires regular updates, making them viable targets for the same attackers you are already defending against
The most common printer security risks include unencrypted print jobs, default credentials, outdated firmware, and unmanaged stored document data
Managed print security programs address these risks through fleet monitoring, firmware management, secure print release, and access controls
Organizations using a managed print provider report significantly higher confidence in their print security than those managing their fleets independently

Printers Are Endpoints. Most Businesses Are Not Treating Them That Way.

A modern multifunction printer is not a simple output device. It has a hard drive, a network interface, a processor, and firmware that requires regular updates. It sends and receives data across your network, stores copies of scanned and printed documents, and typically runs the same configuration it shipped with on the day it was installed.

A printer that shares a network segment with your servers and cloud applications is a network endpoint. If the firmware is unpatched, the access controls are at factory default, or the stored document data is unencrypted, that device carries the same category of risk you are already spending resources to address everywhere else. In most offices, that description fits every printer currently running.

The difference between printers and every other endpoint in your environment is not the level of risk. It is the level of attention.

The Printer Security Risks Most Businesses Have Not Addressed

Multifunction printer security risks fall into a few specific categories, and most of them are invisible until something goes wrong.

Unencrypted print jobs. Most printers receive jobs as plain data transmitted over the network. Without encryption, anyone with access to that network traffic can intercept documents in transit. This risk has grown as hybrid work environments expanded the network perimeter to include home offices and shared workspaces.
Default credentials and open ports. Network printers ship with default administrator passwords and often have open ports enabled that serve no business purpose. IT teams focused on servers and endpoints frequently do not reach the printer settings before the device is in active use, and default credentials rarely get changed.
Stored document data. Most multifunction printers write to an internal hard drive. Documents scanned, copied, and printed can remain on that drive long after the job completes. Without data controls, that stored data becomes a liability when a device is serviced, replaced, or decommissioned.
Outdated firmware. Printer manufacturers release firmware updates to address known vulnerabilities, the same way software publishers release security patches. A print fleet without a managed firmware update process is running devices with known weaknesses that attackers can locate in publicly available vulnerability databases.

What Managed Print Security Actually Covers

A managed print security program addresses these specific risks as part of ongoing fleet management, rather than treating security as a one-time setup task.

What that looks like in practice:

Fleet monitoring: Active visibility into your printer fleet for unauthorized access attempts, unusual activity, and changes in device health
Firmware management: Scheduled updates to patch known vulnerabilities across every device, applied consistently rather than on an ad hoc basis
Secure print release: Authentication requirements that hold print jobs until the authorized user releases them at the device, eliminating documents sitting uncollected in the output tray
Access controls: Role-based permissions that determine who can print, scan, change device settings, or access stored data
Hard drive management: Controls over what data is retained on device storage and how it is handled at end of device life

For most businesses, this level of oversight does not exist for their print fleet today, even though the same data that moves through their network also moves through every printer in the building. A well-structured managed print security program connects print directly into the broader cybersecurity strategy rather than treating it as a separate concern.

What to Look for in a Managed Print Security Provider

Businesses evaluating office printer security options should ask a few specific questions before selecting a provider.

Manufacturer certification. A provider whose technicians are certified by the manufacturers in your fleet, including Canon, Kyocera, HP, and Brother, can configure firmware and security settings correctly for those specific devices. Generic maintenance does not translate to accurate security configuration.
Combined print and IT expertise. Print devices sit on the same network as your IT infrastructure. A provider that handles both managed print services and managed IT can connect managed print security to your broader cybersecurity posture rather than managing it in isolation.
Assessment before proposal. A managed print security program designed around your specific environment requires understanding what is currently in place. Any provider worth working with starts with an IT assessment of your current fleet before agreeing to a scope.
A defined response process. Ask what happens when a security event is detected on a print device. A provider that flags the issue for a scheduled service visit is running a maintenance program, not a security program.

Americom can assess your print fleet’s current security posture and show you exactly where the gaps are.

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How Americom Approaches Managed Print Security

Americom has been managing print fleets and managed IT solutions for St. Louis businesses since 1990. Our technicians are manufacturer certified across Canon, Kyocera, HP, and Brother. The firmware updates, access control configurations, and security settings we apply are matched to the specific devices in your fleet, not generic defaults that assume a different model.

The tech-to-machine ratio at Americom is 1:455, which means our technicians are not spread thin across a volume that prevents actual security work alongside routine maintenance. When an issue is flagged, the person who responds already knows your fleet.

Because Americom manages both print and IT, managed print security connects directly to your broader network security posture. Printer vulnerabilities sit on your network. The response to them belongs in the same conversation as the rest of your endpoint security.

Every engagement is backed by the 360 Customer Support Guarantee: we keep your equipment operating to manufacturer specifications for the full agreement term. If we fall short, we replace it at no charge.

FAQs About Managed Print Security

What is managed print security?

Managed print security is the set of controls and service practices that protect the networked printers and multifunction devices in your print fleet from cybersecurity threats. It includes firmware management, access controls, encrypted printing, fleet monitoring, and secure handling of stored document data.

How does a printer become a cybersecurity risk?

Modern printers connect to your network, store documents on internal hard drives, and run firmware that can contain vulnerabilities. Without consistent security management, a printer is an unmanaged endpoint with the same network access as your servers and workstations and far less oversight than either.

What printer security risks should my business be aware of?

The most common printer security risks include unencrypted print jobs transmitted over the network, default credentials that were never changed after installation, outdated firmware with known vulnerabilities, and sensitive documents retained on device hard drives without data controls.

How does managed print services security differ from standard MPS?

Standard managed print services typically cover supply management, device maintenance, and break/fix support. Managed print services security adds firmware management, fleet monitoring, secure print release, access controls, and data handling policies that address cybersecurity risks specifically.

Does managed print security require replacing our current printers?

Not necessarily. Many managed print security capabilities are applied through configuration changes, firmware updates, and software controls on existing devices. A fleet assessment identifies which devices can support the required security features and which may need to be updated or replaced.

How often should printer firmware be updated?

Printer manufacturers release firmware updates on an irregular schedule, typically in response to discovered vulnerabilities. A managed print security program applies those updates as they become available rather than waiting for a scheduled service visit, ensuring devices are not running with known weaknesses any longer than necessary.

What does Americom’s managed print security program include for St. Louis businesses?

Americom starts with a fleet assessment to understand your current devices, configurations, and vulnerabilities. From there, we manage firmware updates, configure access controls and secure print release settings, and monitor the fleet for security events. As a locally owned company with manufacturer certification across Canon, Kyocera, HP, and Brother, we apply configurations matched to your specific devices rather than generic settings.

Your Print Fleet Deserves the Same Attention as the Rest of Your Network

Managed print security is not a separate initiative from your broader cybersecurity strategy. It is the piece most businesses have skipped. If your print fleet is running on default credentials, unpatched firmware, or unencrypted connections, those are real exposures sitting on your network right now.

Americom can assess your current print environment, identify the specific gaps, and design a managed print security program around the devices and workflow you already have.

Talk to Americom about closing the managed print security gaps in your print fleet.

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