How to Secure your printer?

Hackers have been targeting printers, and this is more than just a nuisance. It’s an attack vector that can be used to cause serious damage to businesses and homes alike. The Mirai malware has been spreading throughout the Internet for several years now, but it recently made headlines when it was used by hackers to launch DDoS attacks against various websites. While these attacks were more of a nuisance than anything else (they didn’t even require too much bandwidth), they did show how easy it is to hack into printers—and what kind of access they give malware developers if they want to continue building on their work.

Mirai is a type of malware that targets IoT devices and can be used to launch DDoS attacks, which are often used for extortion or ransom demands. Hackers can also use the Mirai botnet to steal information from infected systems and access them remotely without their owners knowing about it.

The reason why hackers are targeting printers in particular is because they're an easy target: they don't have antivirus software installed on them, so it's easy for hackers to gain access without being noticed; they don't have strong passwords; and most importantly, because there are so many printers out there, they offer plenty of potential victims who might not even know they've been hacked until after damage has already been done!

Here are some ways to secure your printers whether it’s at home or in the office.

Change the Default Password

• Change the Default Password.
• Use a Strong Password.
• Use a Different Password for Each Machine.

Change the Default IP Address

To change the default IP address, you need to know what it is. This can be found on your printer's manual or by searching for it online. Once you have this information, follow these steps:

• Log in to your router using an internet browser and find out what network you are connected to (e.g., "Home" or "Work"). If there are multiple networks available, select one that meets your needs and click "Next".
• Go back into the printer settings menu and choose "Network Setup" from under Network Settings on most HP printers running Windows 7 or newer operating systems; look for something similar if using another brand of printer such as Canon or Epson.

Disable Unused Ports

• Disable Unused Ports.
• Remove Unused Printer Drivers.
• Disable Remote Access to Printers.
• Disable USB Ports on Printers.

Enable Access Control for Printers

Access control for printers is a feature that allows you to restrict access to your printer by user, group and/or IP address. This can be useful if you have multiple people using the same printer or if there are specific users who need access to a printer but not others.

To enable access control for printers:

• On the Control Panel, select Printers & Scanners > Manage Printers & Devices > Add Printer (if needed). This will open up the Add Printer Wizard where you will choose which type of device you are adding (e.g., Local Printer). If this is your first time adding a new device then select Network Printer instead of Local Printer since we are connecting over our network instead of directly through USB cable connection between computers

Install a Firewall

• Install a firewall. A firewall can be used to protect your printer from outside attacks, and it has a number of different settings that control access to the printer. For example, you may want to allow only certain users and applications access to the printer at certain times of day or night (or at all).

In conclusion, printers are vulnerable to attack because they're often left unsecured. Hackers can use Mirai malware to target printers and cause disruptions in your business. You should take steps to protect yourself against these types of attacks by changing default passwords, IP addresses and disabling unused ports on your printer. Install a firewall as well so hackers can't access your network easily.

As a Managed Print Services provider, we would recommend HP Security Manager to secure your printers. Contact our team to find out more information. After all, it is Fraud Prevention Month.