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SOFTWARE
Thought to be a world first, KYOCERA
SecureAudit is designed to help
organisations better manage the
risks posed by complex cyber threats
to corporate networks and adapt
to strict data protection safeguards
required by the forthcoming
introduction of the GDPR next May.
Developed in the UK by the OEM’s
product development team, it provides
a simple method for users to scan
their KYOCERA MFP for any potential
vulnerabilities, such as devices set with
default admin passwords and open ports,
flagging any weak spots.
KYOCERA SecureAudit will be offered
within the OEM’s suite of application
software, powered by HyPAS. Developed
around real business needs and challenges,
there are now a number of off-the-shelf or
custom-built HyPAS apps, many of which
are available free of charge or on a trial
basis to customers.
Chantler said that the company
has launched SecureAudit as part of its
ongoing drive to do the right thing by
its customers. Just like other IoT devices,
printers are now connected to the internet
as well as corporate networks creating a
massively expanded threat surface. Without
adequate protection, cyber-attacks can
easily gain access to unencrypted and
other (personal) data available across
entire IT networks.
Weak spot in security
Now, more than ever, security is paramount
for any business. Recent research by
Quocirca estimates that of the millions of
business printers in the world, only two
per cent are secure. The study confirms
print and document data management
infrastructure is a weak spot in security,
with 63 per cent of businesses surveyed
experiencing one or more print-related
data breaches.
“The development [of SecureAudit]
was a direct result of the upcoming GDPR
and the recent increase in stories about
printer hacking. We quickly identified that
an easy to use app could really help advice
customers on best practice when setting
up a device on a network,” Chantler
explained.
“When it comes to the security of our
devices in particular, there is a great deal
of noise being made in the industry and
even a certain degree of fear-mongering,”
he added. “At KYOCERA, we want to be
an advisor to our customers, giving them
the tools which will enable them to make
informed decisions when it comes to
protecting their devices, rather than scaring
them with stories of what will happen if
they don’t.”
According to Chantler, MFPs and
printers are often installed without anyone
thinking about how many devices still have
the default admin password; have all ports
open, even if they do not intend to use
them; and have documents saved to the
hard drive, but not encryption.
“Historically, these kinds of questions
have not been asked, but SecureAudit
helps busy IT administrators easily identify
possible vulnerabilities like these and then
gives them access to advice on how to
overcome them,” he said.
SecureAudit can be sold in a number of
ways depending on the opportunities that
present themselves.
James Chantler, Product Marketing Manager – Software and Solutions at KYOCERA
Document Solutions, spoke to
PrintIT Reseller
about the launch of KYOCERA
SecureAudit, a solution that allows users to quickly and easily identify potential
security weaknesses within their printers
KYOCERA arms customers
in the cybersecurity fight
“It can be simply installed on a
device and an administrator can run the
application. This may then form the policy
for all other devices,” Chantler explained,
adding: “Another option is to include this
as part of a device audit, provided the
end-user is running compatible KYOCERA
devices. The application can then be run
and recommendations made from the
results.”
Positive reception
The application has only been available
for a few weeks, but Chantler confirmed
that the company has several partners
evaluating the product (with positive
feedback) and some end-user installs are
scheduled. “The reception has been very
positive. Security is such a key topic for
end-users at the moment and the launch of
SecureAudit has not only raised awareness
in the channel, but has also confirmed
to many that we are taking this topic
seriously and that we want to work with
our partners and their customers to ensure
they consider all of their security options,”
he said.
The imminent arrival of extensive
potential fines, of either four per cent of
turnover or
€
20 million, imposed by the
impending GDPR is a huge incentive for
organisations to sort out print security
now. “Data and printing go hand in hand
and so it only stands to reason that a
regulation which will transform the way
organisations think about personal data
should also transform the way that they
think about print,” said Chantler. “By
adding SecureAudit to our existing security
measures, we are providing businesses
with greater peace of mind that they are
doing everything they can to ensure data
security.”
KYOCERA offer various print, scan
and copying security apps helping print
and document management to be cyber
secure. Biometric identification and user
authentication such as Net Manager,
which only releases print jobs once a user
has identified themselves at an MFP, data
encryption, data overwriting processes
and automatic deletion processes are
examples of the measures available to
certify security.
co.uk
The
development
[of
SecureAudit]
was a direct
result of the
upcoming
GDPR and
the recent
increase
in stories
about printer
hacking
