URL Source: http://soti.net/resources/blog/2024/the-mouse-in-the-house-the-need-for-printer-security-software/

Last Updated At: 2026-04-01 03:49:06 UTC

Description: If hackers are mice, then unsecured printers are where they enter to grab data. Discover how printer security software seals gaps & protects your business.

Author: Joe Gordon

Keywords: Mobile Device Management, SOTI, MDM, SOTI Connect, printer security software, Printer Management, printer security

---

# The Mouse in the House: The Need for Printer Security Software

by Joe Gordon Feb 29, 2024

Small gaps invite big problems. A mouse can squeeze into a hole that’s one-fourth of an inch – the width of a pencil. Once inside, even a single mouse can cause significant damage. But there’s never just a single mouse.

Apply this to your mobile device fleet. Organizations focus on protecting smartphones, tablets, scanners, etc. with [Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM)](https://soti.net/solutions/enterprise-mobility-management/). These critical devices are the most vulnerable to serious threats.

When it comes to printer security software, organizations are overlooking this essential component. Consider these numbers\*:

| Only ***19% of organizations*** are considered print security leaders | ***56% of enterprises*** leave printers out of their security strategy altogether | It’s estimated that ***less than 2% of printers*** are considered secure |
| --- | --- | --- |

### Only ***19% of organizations*** are considered print security leaders

### ***56% of enterprises*** leave printers out of their security strategy altogether

### It’s estimated that ***less than 2% of printers*** are considered secure

That type of oversight invites the mouse (a security threat) into the house (your corporate network) and leads to massive problems (a security breach).

## **Why are Printers Neglected?**

Thermal printers for labels, barcode label printers, radio-frequency identification (RFID) printers and mobile rugged receipt printers are viewed as just printers. All they do is print. If they’re printing, they’re working, right?

Not quite. Printers are gateways to corporate networks and pools of confidential information. They’re small gaps that hackers will find, enter and eventually exploit. It may be happening already: ***61% of IT professionals believe their printers already contain malware*\***. The mouse is already in the house.

How did it get inside? Reasons include:

- ***Out of sight, out of mind***: A business-critical smartphone or tablet goes everywhere. An industrial printer? They’re usually stationary or in a remote location – and easily forgotten.
- ***Takes too long***: For one printer, navigating an endless menu on a small screen or inserting a USB stick is cumbersome and time consuming. For multiple printers in various locations? No way.
- ***Can’t have downtim*e**: Printers can’t be taken offline for 20 minutes for a security update, as that impacts productivity. The solution? Keep them online and hope there isn’t a data breach.
- ***Too expensive***: Need to secure a printer? Pack it up and ship it to IT so they can perform the update. Then, they’ll pack it up and ship it back to you. Not very cost-efficient.

**WANT MORE REASONS WHY PRINTERS GO UNSECURED?**

[Download *The BluePRINT for Printer Management Success* to Find Out](https://soti.net/media/tnafrzy5/soti-ebook-connect-a4.pdf)

## **What Can Hackers Access Through a Printer?**

A mouse can chew through wood, plastic, vinyl, wiring, insulation and, yes, concrete.

Without printer security software, a threat enters your network through an unsecured printer and accesses the following:

| Personal Identification Information (PII) | Payment Information and Details | Government Records (i.e. Health Card Info) | Employee Names, Records and Details |
| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
| Patient Records and Health Data | Business Documentation | Email Communications and Correspondence | Data Collected by Corporate Apps |

### Personal Identification Information (PII)

### Payment Information and Details

### Government Records (i.e. Health Card Info)

### Employee Names, Records and Details

### Patient Records and Health Data

### Business Documentation

### Email Communications and Correspondence

### Data Collected by Corporate Apps

This information may not be stored *on* a printer, but it can be reached *through* a printer. When a printer-related data breach occurs, the costs are astronomical\*:

| The average cost of a printer data breach is over ***$950,000 (USD)*** | Regardless of source, the average data breach takes ***277 days*** to contain |
| --- | --- |

Securing printers should be a top priority. In fact, 75% of CIOs predict printers will become the focus of data breaches soon\*.

As mentioned earlier, organizations are leaving printers unprotected. They risk losing nearly a million dollars in costs and almost a full calendar year in data containment and control.

All this damage. All this lost revenue and productivity, caused by a single data breach. One mouse, if you will.

## **The Perfect Deterrent: Printer Security Software**

Mousetraps aren’t effective because the mouse has already entered the house and caused damage before getting caught.

Mice can chew through almost anything. One thing they can’t get through: Steel wool.

Steel wool is simple to get and easy to deploy. Its sharp edges deter mice from trying to gnaw through it.

[SOTI Connect](https://soti.net/products/soti-connect/) protects your network against hackers and data threats. Here’s what it can do to harden your printer security:

| **Deploy** | Identify and deploy firmware updates and Wi-Fi certificates to any printers that need them. This ensures all your mobile and industrial printers are protected. |
| :---: | --- |
| **Enforce** | Establish powerful password and security policies to prevent unauthorized access to your network infrastructure. |
| **Schedule** | Push security configurations to printers when it’s convenient for the business. Ensure printer security and productivity without compromise. |

## **Protect Your Printers with SOTI Connect**

Security is paramount. In fact, your customers want you to make cybersecurity a priority. If they’re victims of a data breach, they’ll switch to a competitor. And good luck trying to attract new customers as [70% actively avoid businesses](https://soti.net/resources/blog/2023/your-customers-want-you-to-make-cybersecurity-a-priority/#:~:text=across%20all%20industries%2C%2070%25%20of%20customers%20avoid%20businesses%20impacted%20by%20a%20data%20breach.%20) impacted by a data breach.

Don’t let the tiniest gap critically injure your business. Find the gaps and close them quickly and easily with SOTI Connect.

[Free Trial](https://soti.net/products/soti-one-platform/soti-one-platform-free-trial/) [Book a Demo](https://soti.net/products/soti-one-platform/book-a-demo/)

[Send us your questions](https://soti.net/about/contact-us)

\*Source: The BluePRINT for Printer Management Success

##### About Author

Joe Gordon

SVP, Product Innovation

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