When disposing of electronics, it’s important to ensure the devices are properly gotten rid of. This helps reduce clutter in the home and the impact of e-waste on the environment. But one thing you may be overlooking when disposing of a printer is personal data. Many tech-savvy users know how to encrypt their data, create complex passwords, update software, and buy the latest hardware. The printer, however, is a peripheral device that connects to the internet but has limited functionality so you may assume it’s not vulnerable.
How the printer can compromise your digital security
Any devices that connect to your home or office network can store data. It has a local hard drive where it stores the information needed to help it remember which devices it’s connected to and which networks it operates in. This ensures that you don’t have to re-enter connectivity data every time you boot the printer.
Before donating, reselling, or throwing away the printer, you should format the device. You can also reset the device back to factory settings or do a memory wipe. This protects your data from any who can use it for theft, impersonation, hacking, or other cybercrime activities. However, it’s important to remember that some printers still retain network data even after taking reset steps.
Hackers can access your Wi-Fi information from a discarded printer by going to the Wi-Fi setting in the Main Menu. This is a problem mainly with Canon printer models.
An all-in-one printer is also likely to store temporary files of everything that was scanned, photocopied or printed. These logs can reveal sensitive information to those who know where and what to look for. A basic reset can help delete this information.
Why it’s important to reset your printer before disposal
Ensure that you delete all possible information stored in a printer. Many models don’t store any data. The biggest concern right now is for Canon printers. However, it’s important to be vigilant about connected devices in your home. This includes smart fridges, microwaves, and TVs.
This leaves your private information vulnerable. The information at risk includes the IP address, the Wi-Fi name, and the network password. This information can help people identify your location, where you have been, and how many devices are on that network. Using your IP address, hackers can intercept any communication meant for your computers. There is also the risk of a denial of service (DDOS) attack where your network is held hostage for a ransom. With an IP address, a hacker can also find your personally identifiable information and clone your identity online to commit fraud or steal your resources.
Logging in to your Wi-Fi also shows them your internet history and allows them to access your personal valuable information. Using your logins, a cybercriminal can steal your banking, healthcare, housing, and other sensitive information.
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How to get rid of a printer appropriately
Before moving your printer out of sight, conduct a factory reset to get rid of all information. Different models have varied instructions for doing resets. The factory reset option is mostly found in the Setup or General option in the Main Menu. Under this, you will find the Settings option. Select Device Settings and look for the Reset option and hit “OK”. The printer will then ask you to confirm if you want to restore factory settings.
To confirm the Wi-Fi data is deleted, select “Reset All” under the Reset options. Enable Wireless LAN and repeat the reset procedure to ensure Wi-Fi data is deleted. If the printer doesn’t have Reset All settings, look for the Reset LAN settings option, enable wireless LAN, and reset LAN settings one more time.
What to do to ensure printer security
When buying a new device, choose a printer model with extra security features, such as encryption, authentication, firewall, and firmware updates. Ensure the printer’s range is limited. Disable Bluetooth or cloud capabilities to limit access to the printer. Disable the printer’s memory to erase data after printing.
You can also ensure the printer has authentication capacity. This can be helpful for printers in offices that have multiple users. You can password-protect them or use biometric authentication. However, these can be a great inconvenience.
Keep the printer’s software and hardware updated. Manufacturers are always releasing new updates to cover up any vulnerabilities. Missing out on updates could leave cracks in your system network that hackers can exploit.
Add encryption software to your devices if you frequently print banking or other sensitive information. This encrypts the information before it’s printed. Don’t connect your printer to public Wi-Fi like a neighbour’s home network or from a restaurant. These networks could be fully unsecured which leaves you vulnerable.
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