When small businesses think about cybersecurity, they usually focus on email threats, passwords, and laptops. Printers go unnoticed as another networked computer with a hard drive, memory, user access, and a direct line into sensitive files. They can be a quiet, overlooked entry point for data leaks.
Print-related leaks in a business can be mostly invisible. Something as simple as a payroll report left on a tray, a scan routed to the wrong email group, or an old device sold without wiping its storage could be a risk. To some businesses, printing seems much less modern as a technology, and many SMBs never apply the same controls that might be expected for maintaining security with cloud apps or endpoints.
Print security usually is not complicated or expensive to implement. Most issues with print security come down to a few common mistakes and straightforward solutions that any business can deploy to reduce risk without disrupting day-to-day work.
Leaving ‘secure print’ turned off (or not using it)
One of the easiest ways sensitive information leaks is also one of the simplest: documents print immediately and sit in the output tray. Payroll reports, HR files, customer invoices, contracts, and internal financials can be visible to anyone nearby (employees, vendors, cleaning crews, building staff, or visitors).
Common real-world scenarios:
- A manager prints employee reviews and gets pulled into a meeting
- Accounting prints vendor ACH forms and forgets to pick them up
- Someone grabs the wrong stack of pages during a rush
Preventative measures:
- Enable secure print / hold print so jobs require a PIN or badge release at the device
- Make secure print the default for departments handling sensitive materials (finance, HR, leadership, healthcare, legal)
- Configure auto-delete for unclaimed jobs after a set period (e.g., 2–8 hours)
- Add “release stations” in areas with lower foot traffic if possible
Quick policy rule:
If a document being printed contains personal information, payment details, health data, or contract terms, it should never print unattended.
Using shared logins (or no authentication)
If everyone in the business prints under a generic device login, or if there is no authentication, there is likely no accountability. That makes it hard to trace data leaks, detect unusual printing volume, or apply printer access limits. Neglecting user authentication for printing also increases the chance that sensitive functions (like scanning to external email addresses) are used casually or improperly.
Why this puts SMBs at risk:
Even for businesses with the most trustworthy teams, mistakes still happen. If an incident needs to be resolved, it becomes much more difficult to investigate something that may be invisible or nearly impossible to trace.
Preventative measures:
- Require user authentication (PIN, badge, directory login, or SSO where possible)
- Use role-based permissions so only the right people can print/scan/fax certain types of documents
- Enable job logging (who printed what, when, and from where)
- Separate guest access from employee access (guest Wi-Fi should never equal guest printing privileges)
Practical compromise:
If full badge access isn’t necessary in a particular business, starting with PIN codes and department-based permissions can stil be a major improvement in security over anonymous printing.
Ignoring the printer’s admin settings and default passwords
Many printers ship to businesses with common default admin credentials. If these credentials are never changed, anyone on the network (or anyone who could gains access to the network) can alter print settings, view print logs, reroute scans, or even install malicious firmware.
Why this puts SMBs at risk:
- A misconfigured device becomes an easy foothold for an attacker
- Someone changes DNS settings to route traffic through a malicious server
- Scan destinations are altered and sensitive documents silently go elsewhere
Preventative measures:
- Change default admin passwords immediately (and store them securely)
- Disable unnecessary admin accounts and close unused management interfaces
- Restrict management access by IP address (only admin devices can reach the admin console)
- Turn off remote admin access unless it’s needed, and if needed, protect it behind VPN and MFA
- Remove unused protocols (older printers often have services enabled that you don’t need)
Printer admin panels should be locked down and monitored like a router or firewall, as they require similar protective measures to prevent security risks.
Letting printers sit on the network unpatched
Printers and multifunction devices run firmware that gets security updates for vulnerabilities similarly to computers. When firmware is not updated, a business may be leaving known security holes open for months or years.
Why this puts SMBs at risk:
Patching may be forgotten because the printers are still functioning normally, but security vulnerabilities may persist for long periods of time when they could quickly be resolved with proper updates.
Preventative measures:
- Implement a regular firmware update schedule (quarterly is a strong baseline; monthly if the business is regulated)
- Subscribe to manufacturer security advisories for your device models
- Standardize models where possible (fewer device types = easier patching)
- If the team doesn’t have the bandwidth to track firmware updates, consider managed print solutions to help centralize updates, security settings, and ongoing oversight
While businesses might tend to wait to update firmware for their printers until something breaks, proper security requires a more proactive policy. Updating firmware before an incident occurs saves businesses from potential harm.
Storing sensitive scans in unsecured folders or inboxes
Scanning workflows for SMBs often dump files into shared network folders, email inboxes, or cloud drives. If those destinations are not secured properly, sensitive documents could be transferred from paper risk to digital risk, which could make it easier for the wrong person to access them.
Common causes of scan-related leaks:
- “Scan to shared folder” used for everything (including HR docs)
- Scan-to-email goes to a group inbox by default
- Shared folders have “everyone” permissions because it’s convenient
- Staff forward scans to personal email to work from home
Preventative measures:
- Ensure scan destinations (folders, SharePoint/Drive locations, email groups) have appropriate permissions
- Use “scan to user” workflows that route documents only to authenticated users
- Use encryption for scan transmissions when supported
- Apply retention rules so scans aren’t kept forever in shared locations
- Disable scan-to-external-email unless it’s truly needed (or restrict it to approved domains)
Quick policy rule:
If a scanned document should not be posted in a public Slack channel, avoid placing it in any open shared scan folder as well.
Failing to secure data stored on the device
Many multifunction printers store documents temporarily in memory or on an internal hard drive. Some keep copies for job history, reprints, or queue handling. If the device is compromised or sold/discarded without proper wiping, sensitive data can be exposed.
Why this puts SMBs at risk:
- Leasing returns: devices go back to a vendor without confirmed wiping
- Office moves: old printers are donated or resold
- Service calls: a tech swaps a drive and the old one leaves your control
- Forgotten “stored jobs” remain accessible from the device interface
Preventative measures:
- Enable disk encryption and secure erase features (if available)
- Disable stored job history where unnecessary
- Use secure wipe procedures before device replacement, resale, or disposal
- Confirm in writing what your vendor does with storage media during repairs/replacements
- Lock the device interface so users can’t browse job history or stored documents
If a business handles personal data, treating printer storage like laptop storage is a smart baseline, and a similar level of caution to keep sensitive data safe is needed.
Not training employees on print hygiene
Even with strong technology controls, employees can accidentally create risk by printing to the wrong device, leaving documents unattended, scanning to the wrong email address, or using unapproved USB drives. Implementing print hygiene makes safe print behavior the default for a business.
Preventative measures:
- Create a one-page print security checklist in plain language
- Encourage “print only what you need” and “pick up immediately” norms
- Prohibit unknown USB devices in printers that support USB printing/scanning
- Teach staff to verify the device name/location before printing (especially in multi-office or shared-building setups)
- Add a “sensitive print” rule: anything with customer data, employee info, payments, or contracts must be secure-released
- Include print hygiene in onboarding so it becomes routine
Helpful reminder signage (simple and effective):
- “Client info? Use Secure Print.”
- “Pick up prints right away.”
- “Scanning? Double-check the recipient.”
A simple 30-day print security implementation plan (SMB-friendly)
A practical way for businesses to roll out better print security without overwhelming the team could rely on a phased approach:
Week 1: Visibility & basics
- Inventory all printers/MFPs and their locations
- Change default admin passwords
- Confirm what data is stored on devices (memory/HDD)
- Identify where scans are going (folders, inboxes, cloud)
Week 2: Access control
- Turn on secure print for sensitive departments
- Add PIN/badge authentication where feasible
- Separate guest printing (or eliminate it)
Week 3: Network hardening
- Patch firmware across all devices
- Restrict admin console access (IP allow-list / VPN)
- Disable unused protocols and services
Week 4: Training & testing
- Publish your one-page print hygiene policy
- Run two restore-style tests: secure print workflow and scan-to-user routing
- Review logs for anomalies (unusual print volume, external scan attempts)
This process gives businesses meaningful printing risk reduction in one month and sets them up for ongoing print maintenance.
Print security is necessary for reducing unnecessary exposure for SMBs. The biggest risks should take priority: unattended printouts, default passwords, weak access control, and unsecured scan destinations. Effective print maintenance can be layered in to complete the process: updates, encryption, and device lifecycle wiping.
For small businesses, making secure printing the easiest way to print will lead to successful adoption of print security policies. When the secure option is the default, teams will remain productive while sensitive information remains protected and handled securely.