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BULLETIN
6
MFPs like the Canon imageRUNNER 1435i
should be secured with just as much rigour
as other network devices
Report makes case for
using a single supplier
The benefits to SMEs of using a single
supplier for all their technology needs are
highlighted in a new report from Solar
Communications.
Business communications made simple: The
benefits of a single supplier solution
is being
released at a time when 91% of SMEs, or 4.6
million businesses, admit that they are struggling
to introduce new technology. Causes include the
difficulty of juggling multiple suppliers and having
numerous points of contact for billing or support.
As a result, one in three SMEs are failing
to meet the technology requirements of their
employees; more than half (52%) are struggling
to compete with larger organisations; 45% are
finding it challenging to reduce operating costs;
and 40% face difficulties in managing a more
flexible, mobile workforce.
Mark Colquhoun, CEO of Solar
Communications, said: “The research suggests
that many UK SMEs are finding technology to
be a challenge for their business, rather than a
real enabler. A strategic partnership with a single
supplier can deliver significant benefits, reducing
administrative workloads to improve efficiency
and business agility.”
Managed services provider Annodata is
warning businesses of the security risks
posed by internet-enabled printers as new
figures from the Department for Business
Innovation and Skills (BIS) show that 93%
of large organisations and 87% of small
businesses experienced a security breach
last year.
Grant Howard, professional services technical
manager at Annodata, said: “Printers used to
be devices that sat in the corner of the office
churning out documents, but that’s not the case
today. Technology has advanced to such a point
that they are now fully integrated with the IT
estate and network and capable of performing a
range of functions, such as printing from mobile
devices and scanning to email, network drives
and web-hosted applications. This functionality
has had a big impact on day-to-day business
operations, but it has also created new risks to
data security that many organisations remain
unaware of.”
He added: “Like any other networked
device, multi-functional devices (MFPs) pose an
opportunity for hackers. Many will be able to
access the entire network through tracking the
metadata of printed documents or by hacking
the passcode of the MFP. Whether these breaches
are caused by an attack from an unauthorised
outsider or by internal factors, such as human
error, systems must be put in place to resist
disruption to the network.
“IT departments are very careful when it
comes to protecting devices, user accounts and
other areas traditionally viewed as vulnerable.
MFPs should be treated with similar levels of
caution. Introducing measures such as secure
release printing can effectively guard against
internal threats, while bolstering firewalls, turning
off unwanted protocols and ensuring each device
has an appropriate passcode can help protect
against threats from outsiders,” he said.
BULLETIN
Better protection of MFPs needed
to deter hackers
Diary Date
London Calling 2015
November 3–4, 2015
• Sunbeam Studios, London
For more than six years, corporate and
commercial print professionals have attended
Duplo’s London Calling events to find out
about the latest finishing solutions. This year’s
showcase is being held on November 3-4
at Sunbeam Studios in Ladbroke Hall, North
Kensington – the UK’s first purpose-built
car and factory showroom and now one of
London’s foremost photographic studios and
event venues. As in previous years, Duplo will
be working with partners from pre- and post-
press to demonstrate complete print workflows.
HP boosts print security
HP has introduced an expanded range
of solutions and services to help end
users improve the security of their print
environment:
n
HP Access Control
now offers server-less
secure pull printing, eliminating the need for
servers in small branch offices, and also functions
as a managed mobility solution, allowing users of
mobile devices to email print jobs to the secure
pull print queue, with the same access control,
tracking and security measures as print jobs
initiated by network PCs or laptops;
n
The policy-based security monitoring and
management solution
HP JetAdvantage
Security Manager
has been expanded to cover
the new Pro-class HP LaserJet printers;
n
HP Printing Security Advisory Services
have been extended to cover Europe and Asia;
n
A new forms recognition module has been
introduced for
HP Capture and Route
, which
simplifies the scanning and routing of paper
documents to reduce errors and improve security
and compliance; and
n
HP has launched
Proactive Print Advisor
,
a new service providing customised reporting,
analysis and recommendations on how to optimise
a print fleet for cost effectiveness and policy
enforcement.
Grant Howard, professional services
technical manager, Annodata
