October 16, 2024 at 04:02PM
The transition to hybrid work has increased vulnerabilities in corporate print infrastructures, exposing organizations to security risks, including unmanaged printers and inadequate authentication. A survey revealed 67% experienced print-related incidents in 2024. Experts emphasize the need for prioritizing print security and adopting zero-trust principles in cloud printing environments.
### Meeting Takeaways on Printer Security Risks and Hybrid Work Models
1. **Increased Vulnerabilities**:
– The shift to hybrid work has highlighted vulnerabilities in corporate print infrastructure, leading to heightened security risks.
– Risks include:
– Use of insecure and unmanaged printers by employees.
– Remote workers sending print jobs over public networks.
– Poor user authentication and print job release processes.
– Exposed local spools and caches.
– Inconsistent patching practices.
2. **Emerging Vulnerabilities**:
– Recent vulnerabilities noted:
– CVE-2024-38199: RCE vulnerability in Windows/LPD Service.
– CVE-2024-21433: Windows Print Spooler elevation of privilege vulnerability.
– CVE-2024-43529: Vulnerability disclosed in Microsoft’s October update.
– Severe flaws have also been identified in the Common Unix Printing System (CUPS), indicating a broader risk beyond Windows systems.
3. **Data Breaches on the Rise**:
– Quocirca’s study reveals a troubling trend with 67% of organizations experiencing printer-related security incidents in 2024, an increase from 61% in the previous year.
– Small and mid-market organizations particularly affected with 74% reporting incidents.
– Key concerns:
– 33% identify unmanaged printers as a security risk.
– 29% see office printing vulnerabilities as a significant threat.
– 28% struggle with protecting sensitive information.
4. **Need for Focus on Printer Security**:
– Experts emphasize the importance of prioritizing print security within organizations.
– Legacy printer service environments often lack monitoring tools, making them attractive targets for attackers.
– A culture of neglect around printer security can result in long-term vulnerabilities.
5. **Cloud Printing Concerns**:
– Despite the perception that cloud services may be more secure, respondents cite security concerns as the primary barrier to adopting cloud print solutions.
– Organizations need to address risks associated with resting data, such as queued print jobs and documents uploaded to cloud print services.
– Implementing zero-trust principles in cloud printing is crucial for safeguarding sensitive information.
6. **Recommendations for Improvement**:
– Organizations should maintain diligent asset inventories and evaluate the related risks of their print infrastructure.
– Move from traditional on-premises setups to native cloud architectures where feasible.
– Conduct proof of concept for specific applications before broad deployment to identify integration challenges.
Overall, the importance of addressing these security vulnerabilities within print infrastructure is clear, especially as organizations navigate the complexities of hybrid work environments.