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RB | October 4, 2024

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Secure Your Printer: Protect Personal Data from Hackers

Did you know your printer could be a gateway for hackers to access your data? I have been writing about safeguarding personal data since 2005. By now, everyone should know how to protect personal data on computers and phones—meticulously encrypting emails, using passkeys, and regularly updating software. Despite the hard work, one vulnerability often gets overlooked: the printer. Figuring out how to dispose of a printer safely can make or break online security.

New revelations about certain printers recently highlighted the unforeseen security risks lurking in our offices and homes. However, with the following tech tips from cybersecurity experts, you can combat the unexpected threat found in many printers and fortify your data against hackers.

Why Printers Pose a Security Risk

Any digital device that connects to Wi-Fi, including printers, stores data about the network on its hard drive. This is usually beneficial since it allows the printer to automatically connect to the network without requiring you to re-enter the information every time. However, Chris Pierson, CEO of the cybersecurity company BlackCloak, warns that when you sell or recycle a printer, you should delete this saved data by performing a memory wipe or factory reset. The reset prevents cybercriminals from discovering and exploiting the information on the printer.

There’s just one problem: Canon has announced a security flaw in several printers. The security flaw leaves behind the stored Wi-Fi information even after the reset process. If a hacker gains access to the printer after you sell it or throw it away, they could find these wireless settings simply by going to the Wi-Fi option in the main menu. Canon reports that this issue affects several printer models, including the E, G, GX, iB, iP, MB, MG, MX, PRO, TR, TS, and XK series.

What information is at risk?

Printers store data about the network on it's hard drive. Data about your wireless settings—including your Wi-Fi name, Internet Protocol address, and network password—could all stick around even after resetting your Canon printer. Once hackers find that information through the menu commands, they could easily log in to the Wi-Fi network and spy on your online activity, including sensitive information like your bank account login, credit card numbers, and personal photos.

Is this a problem with all printers?

BlackCloak CEO Pierson says the current notice is specific to Canon’s printers and “serves as a reminder [of the risks] to everyone with any electronic device that connects to a … network.” That includes other Wi-Fi connected printers and smart devices like Ring doorbells, refrigerators, dryers, and light bulbs.

You might be surprised by all the devices in your house that access and store your Wi-Fi settings—and consequently might leave your data vulnerable. “Wi-Fi-connected devices have proliferated, and [they include] things that we may not think of,” says Alex Hamerstone, a director at security consulting firm TrustedSec. “A lot of low-priced consumer electronics from previously unknown manufacturers have Wi-Fi access now, and I would be more worried about those.”

Steps to Safely Dispose of Printers

Before you throw away, donate, or even send your printer in for repair, you should always perform a factory reset to erase all stored information. The specific steps for a factory reset will vary depending on your printer model. Still, the reset function resides under the “General” or “Setup” setting in the main menu.

Canon printers

For Canon printers, follow these steps for a factory reset:

Go to the Setup option in the main menu.
Select Device settings > OK, then select Reset settings > OK.
Find Reset, then choose OK.
Select Yes to restore the printer to factory settings.

In addition, users with one of the affected Canon printers must follow these additional steps to remove their Wi-Fi data.

In the menu, go to Reset Settings> Reset All.
Enable the wireless LAN.
Follow the first step again: Reset settings > Reset all.

If you have a Canon printer model that does not have the “Reset all settings” function, do this instead:

Select Reset LAN settings.
Enable the wireless LAN.
Select Reset LAN settings one more time.

HP printers

For HP LaserJet Pro 4001n printers, follow these steps from HP for a factory reset:

Turn Off the Printer: Turn the printer completely turned off.
Turn On the Printer: Turn the printer back on and wait for the HP logo to appear on the screen.
Access the Preboot Menu: As soon as the HP logo appears, press and hold the “Cancel” button (usually marked with an “X”) until the “Preboot” menu appears on the display.
Navigate to Administrator Settings: Use the arrow buttons to navigate to “Administrator” and press the “OK” button.
Restore Factory Settings: In the “Administrator” menu, find and select “Restore Factory Settings.” Confirm your choice when prompted. The printer will begin restoring factory settings.
Wait for the Process to Complete: The printer will restart during this process. Wait until it fully restarts and displays the home screen.

Additional Tips for Printer Security

Disable or limit the printer’s network connectivity, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or cloud services, if you don’t use them.
You can also turn off the printer’s memory or hard drive to erase your data after printing.
Enable the printer’s password, PIN, or biometric authentication to prevent anyone from accessing its data without permission.
Keep your printer’s software up to date. Patches will close any security vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit.
Avoid connecting your printer to public Wi-Fi, which could make it vulnerable to spyware and other security risks.

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Ensuring the security of your personal data extends beyond computers and smartphones to include often-overlooked devices like printers. Following the steps outlined in this article, you can effectively decommission your printer and protect sensitive information from potential cyber threats. Stay vigilant, keep your devices updated, and always perform a factory reset before disposing of any electronic device. Secure your printer today to safeguard your data and maintain your online privacy.

Related article

HP printers apparently have AI now, because of course they do (PC World)

Ralph Bach has been in IT for a while and has blogged from the Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that has caught my attention since 2005. You can follow me on Facebook or Mastodon. Email the Bach Seat here.

Category: Uncategorized | Tags: 2024, Business, Canon, Decommission, HP, Printer, Risk, Wi-Fi

RB | August 22, 2024

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Ultimate Guide to Eco-Friendly PC Disposal: Safe & Sustainable Solution

In 2023, around 68.3 million tons of old or unwanted gadgets, which include PCs, were thrown out. The United States generated approximately 11.9 million tons of e-waste in 2022. This figure places the US as the second-largest global generator of e-waste. The United Nations estimates that less than 17.4% of these unwanted gadgets are recycled as e-waste. Unfortunately, a staggering 83% of e-waste ends up in landfills. In these landfills, discarded gadgets leach toxins into the Earth. You can help stop this by practicing proper PC disposal.

E-Waste

This improper disposal of e-waste resulted in the leaching of flame retardants, PFAS, and heavy metals into the soil and groundwater. Some of the most hazardous chemicals found in PCs include:

Mercury: Exposure can harm the nervous system, kidneys, and brain. It can also cause developmental issues in children and affect adults’ cognitive abilities.
Lead: Lead poisoning can result in anemia, kidney damage, and developmental delays in children. It affects both the nervous system and cardiovascular health.
Lithium: High levels of lithium can cause nausea, tremors, and kidney damage.
Barium: Exposure to barium can lead to gastrointestinal issues, muscle weakness, and heart problems.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are also present in PCs (PDF). Their potential health effects include increased cholesterol levels, suppressed immune response, and risks of kidney and testicular cancer.

Proper PC disposal and your other end-of-life devices is critical to prevent the toxins in e-waste from contaminating the Earth. Preparing for proper PC decommissioning involves several steps to ensure your personal data is safely removed and the device is prepared for its next phase, whether reuse, recycling, or disposal. Here are the steps to follow when decommissioning a PC.

Back up your files

Your first step in PC disposal should be to back up all important documents, photos, videos, and other files saved on your computer. You can use a USB stick, an external hard drive, or a cloud-based file-syncing service like Google Drive or iCloud. Remember, it’s always better to back up too much information than too little

Transfer Software

You bought the software on your PC. Ensure you have the install key to transfer any licensed software to the new computer. Some applications offer a deactivation feature that allows you to transfer the license to a different PC.

If you’re giving your computer away, also make sure that you’ve signed out of iTunes, iCloud, and iMessage—there’s a chance your Apple ID data will remain on the drive after you reset it, and you don’t want anyone to gain access to your account.

Wipe your hard drive

After you back up the necessary files, you want to wipe the drive. When you wipe your hard drive, it renders a computer completely free of personal information. This is irreversible and will essentially make your computer a “blank slate,” so make sure you’re done with your computer before doing this. Some tools to wipe your hard drive:

Darik’s Boot & Nuke is open-source and free. It is probably the most popular program of this type. However, it has not been updated since 2015.
KillDisk comes in two flavors: Free and Professional. The free version only has one way to delete the data on a hard drive, but it’s still good enough for a decent hard drive wipe.
Apple includes Disk Utility in MacOS, which can wipe Apple’s hard drives.

Clean your PC

The last step in PC disposal is to remove any markings, asset tags, sticky notes, etc. Next, use a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with soap and water or 70% rubbing alcohol or alcohol-based disinfectant spray to wipe down your device. Avoid aerosol sprays and cleaning solutions that contain bleach or abrasives, and keep liquids and moisture away from any openings on the device.

CD and DVD Destruction

CDs and DVDs containing personal information should be physically destroyed when no longer needed. More giant paper shredders or specialized CD/DVD destruction hardware can accomplish this. Document management firms like Shred-it offer optical disk destruction services.

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There’s no “right way” to eliminate an old computer. PC disposal options include re-purposing it for another use, selling or giving it away, or environmentally safe recycling. Consider organizations like Computer Aid International, which refurbishes PCs and other digital devices to bridge the digital divide worldwide. They even use solar power in areas with unreliable electricity, benefiting over 14.5 million people in 115 countries.