Identity & Authentication
Control who can use supported devices and how users prove their identity before accessing functions or releasing documents.
Printer & MFD Security
Printer Security
Secure the printer and multifunction-device environment across user access, documents, firmware, network configuration, stored data and device lifecycle.
Printer security can form part of a wider managed print security strategy, combining MFD hardening with secure release, monitoring, software and ongoing device management.
Quick answer
What is printer security?
Printer security is the set of controls used to protect networked printers and multifunction devices, the documents they process and the users who interact with them. It can include administrator hardening, firmware management, secure protocols, authentication, secure print release, encryption, logging and secure decommissioning.
Defence in Depth
The main layers of printer security
Securing print properly means looking beyond one setting or one software product.
Secure Print Release
Hold sensitive jobs until the authorised user authenticates and chooses to release them.
Administrator Security
Protect device administration with controlled credentials, permissions and appropriate management access.
Firmware Management
Keep supported MFD firmware under review and apply suitable updates through a controlled change process.
Network Hardening
Review exposed services, protocols, management interfaces, certificates and network placement.
Encryption
Use supported encryption for traffic, stored data or print spool files where appropriate to the environment.
Logging & Audit Information
Capture useful device or print-management information for investigation, governance and operational visibility.
Storage & Data Lifecycle
Consider stored jobs, address books, credentials and internal storage throughout the device lifecycle.
Secure Decommissioning
Reset, wipe or otherwise handle stored information appropriately before devices leave business control.
Device Hardening
Harden the printer itself — not just the print queue
A secure-release product does not automatically make the underlying multifunction device secure. The printer still has its own operating environment, administrator interface, network services, certificates and storage.
Hardening should therefore look at what services are enabled, how the device is administered, whether management access is appropriately restricted, how firmware is handled and which protocols are actually required for printing and scanning.
The exact hardening baseline should reflect the device capabilities and the organisation's wider IT policies rather than applying arbitrary settings that could break legitimate print or scan workflows.
Document Security
Secure print release protects the document workflow
Without a hold-and-release process, documents can print immediately and remain in an output tray before the user arrives.
Secure print release changes that workflow by holding the job until the user authenticates. Depending on the platform, release can use cards, PINs, credentials, mobile methods or other supported approaches.
With appropriate software and compatible devices, Find-Me or pull printing can also let users release a held job from another suitable device in the environment.
Hold
The job remains queued rather than printing immediately.
Authenticate
The user confirms their identity using the configured method.
Select
The user chooses the held documents they actually want to print.
Release
The document prints while the authorised user is present.
Identity
Authentication, cards and directory identity
Linking print activity to a user is what enables secure release, access control and meaningful user-level reporting.
Compatible environments can use network identities, cards, badges, PINs or supported SSO approaches. The correct authentication model depends on the devices, print-management platform and existing identity architecture.
Cards & badges
Authenticate at compatible MFDs using supported card-reader configurations.
PINs & credentials
Use supported credentials or PIN-based workflows where appropriate.
Directory identity
Integrate supported print-management platforms with existing user identity systems.
Group policies
Apply appropriate access or print controls based on users and organisational groups.
Network Security
Protocols, encryption and network exposure
Printers often need to communicate with print servers, email systems, file shares, directory services and management platforms. Security therefore needs to balance reducing attack surface with keeping legitimate workflows operational.
Web management
Control access to administration interfaces and use suitable encrypted management where supported.
SMB & scanning
Review scan-to-folder dependencies and avoid unnecessary legacy configurations.
Email workflows
Manage SMTP authentication, certificates and supported secure transport for scan-to-email.
Encryption
Use suitable encryption for transport, storage or print spool data where supported and required.
Monitoring
Printer logging, audit information and monitoring
Logging can support troubleshooting, governance and investigation, but what is available varies significantly between devices and print-management platforms.
Useful information may include administrative events, authentication activity, print-job metadata, device alerts or configuration changes. Where appropriate and technically supported, selected events may be incorporated into wider monitoring or SIEM processes.
Device Lifecycle
Secure printer decommissioning
Security should continue until the device is no longer under your control.
Stored documents
Check whether the device or associated software stores jobs or document data.
Address books
Consider saved email addresses, scan destinations and user information.
Credentials & certificates
Remove or invalidate credentials, certificates and administrative configuration where appropriate.
Internal storage
Follow supported wipe, reset or vendor disposal procedures for local storage before the device leaves control.
Governance
Align printer controls with your wider security policies
Printer security should not exist as a separate island. The device estate should be considered alongside identity management, network architecture, change control, data handling, patch management and decommissioning processes.
Controls such as authentication, secure release, logging and encryption can help support organisational frameworks and security objectives. The required controls still depend on the organisation's risk assessment, regulatory obligations and wider technical environment.
Related Guides
Explore the wider print-security environment
Managed Print Security
See how security fits into the wider managed print service.
PaperCut Print Management
Add secure release, authentication, reporting and user print controls.
Printer Support
Understand the maintenance and support layer around the printer estate.
Managed Print Software
Explore monitoring, reporting and print-management software capabilities.
FAQs
Printer Security FAQs
Why are printers a security risk?
Modern printers and multifunction devices are networked systems that can process, store and transmit business information. Risks can include weak administrator credentials, outdated firmware, unnecessary network services, insecure scan workflows, unattended printed documents and poorly controlled decommissioning.
What is secure print release?
Secure print release holds a print job until the authorised user authenticates and chooses to release it. This can reduce the risk of confidential documents being left unattended in output trays. The exact release method depends on the software, device and authentication design.
What is pull printing or Find-Me printing?
Pull printing allows a user to send a job to a shared queue and release it from a compatible device after authentication. Find-Me printing is a common implementation where users are not tied to one specific printer before they send the job.
Can printer storage be encrypted?
Some printers, multifunction devices and print-management platforms support encryption for stored data or print spool files. Whether encryption is available and how it should be configured depends on the specific hardware and software.
Should printer firmware be updated?
Firmware should form part of the device-management process. Updates can address security, compatibility and reliability issues, but changes should be reviewed against the device model, vendor guidance and business environment before deployment.
Can printer security integrate with Microsoft Entra ID or ID cards?
Yes, depending on the print-management software and device. Compatible environments can use directory identities, badges, cards, PINs or other supported authentication methods to control access and secure print release.
Can printer logs be sent to a SIEM?
Some devices and print-management platforms can expose logs or events that may be suitable for central monitoring. The available data and integration method depend on the manufacturer, software platform and security architecture.
Does secure printing make us GDPR compliant?
No. Secure print release, authentication, access control, encryption and audit information can support wider data-protection and information-security controls, but no printer, software product or configuration makes an organisation GDPR compliant by itself.
What should happen when a printer is decommissioned?
Decommissioning should consider locally stored documents, address books, credentials, certificates, configuration data and any internal storage. The appropriate wipe, reset or disposal method depends on the device and vendor capabilities.
Can PaperCut improve printer security?
PaperCut can add user authentication, secure release, Find-Me printing, reporting and print-policy controls to compatible environments. It complements device hardening rather than replacing firmware, network and MFD configuration controls.
Last reviewed: August 2026
Review the security of your printer and MFD estate
We can review your devices, print workflows, authentication, secure release requirements and support model and identify where stronger controls may be appropriate.