Who would have thought that you don't just have to protect your own PC from viruses, Trojans and hackers. Usually, the process is always the same: you start up your PC and the antivirus program switches on automatically, you dial in via a secure VPN connection and you think the topic of cyber attacks is over.
Unfortunately, this is not the case, because hackers can access their own personal computer via hardware components such as printers or scanners and steal sensitive data. Perfidious hackers proceed in such a way that they infect the printer or scanner with malware in order to obtain the desired user information.
The whole thing is so easy for cybercriminals because the attacks on your own PC take place from within, which usually only takes a few minutes.
Unprotected printers as a gateway for criminals from the Internet
Hackers in particular love unprotected printers because they offer them a gateway to access protected documents on the computer or sensitive bank data.
This creates the basis for blackmail attempts when criminals get hold of secret folders with compromising data and images or when company documents suddenly become public.
Criminals connect active printers to the wireless network and send the printer a document containing malware. As soon as the clever malware is activated, even the best password protection can no longer work, since the attack comes from "inside" and not, as usual, via the Internet. As a result, all documents that are scanned, faxed, copied or printed are simultaneously sent as a copy to the IP address specified for this purpose. Thus, all records that traverse the printer are public to third parties who could misuse these records for criminal purposes.
attacks from within
Hackers have such an easy game because many users don't even think about protecting their printers and scanners in terms of data security. Loud opinion polls the majority of respondents state that they are unaware that printers or scanners pose a potential security risk that could lead to private data being spied on on the computer.
If you connect your own network printer using a LAN cable or WLAN with the Router connects, the printer also gets its own Swiss IP for the network. This means that the printer is assigned its own Internet address. For this reason, your own PC using a printer or scanner is a potential source for cyber criminals and data theft. Almost nobody is aware of the dangers posed by a network-connected printer.
Protect printers and scanners adequately
On the one hand, you should also protect the printer with a password, which almost no user usually does, on the other hand, the printer should be switched off completely after use and not switch to standby mode. Internet criminals could load the printer with malware and spy out sensitive data and use it for their criminal activities around the clock.
Since every petty criminal who a Smartphone owns, can easily hack a PC via your own active printer, you should eliminate this source of danger by protecting your printer and scanner.
This is how you actively protect your printer from cyber attacks
The following part describes the most important measures that you should take to protect your own printer in order not to offer cybercriminals a breeding ground.
Pay attention to the encryption function
With Internet-based printers, the so-called network printers, you have the option of sending the radio signal to the router or your own PC (laptop, Tablet, smart phone) encode to permit. If you want to buy a printer with a WLAN function, you should only shortlist devices that have a WPA2 function have to encrypt the radio signal. This function should also be used accordingly. Before buying, you should get advice on whether the printer has a corresponding WPA2 encryption function or not.
Password protection for installed printers
When you buy a new printer, standard passwords are set, which you can look up in the operating instructions and also on the Internet. After purchase and when setting up the printer, these passwords must be changed. We recommend using secure passwords consisting of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. It is advisable to write down the password and stick it on the printer so that you always have it at hand and know which password has been assigned to which hardware.
Printer with USB cable - Disable WiFi
There are also users who swear by printers with a USB cable and refrain from using WLAN printers. It is important to disable the WiFi radio application. In this way, internet scammers cannot access your printer and infect it with malware, because your own printer does not automatically connect to the router and therefore cannot present any security gaps
