Multifunction Business Machines Can Pose Security Threat

  • Aug 24, 2007

Those all-in-one multifunction business machines -- the ones that print/fax/scan/and copy, which are popular in business offices across the nation, may also pose a security threat, according to a Winston-Salem State University professor.

Dr. Elva Jones, professor and chair of WSSU’s computer science department, says many of today's digital copiers actually have their own hard drives that store all of the information that's printed, scanned, copied or faxed. If that information gets into the wrong hands, the result could be detrimental to a business.

"I am not aware of any scandalous situations yet of any great magnitude," said Jones, noting that without awareness it’s a matter of time before a controversy arises. "But typically we don't become alert to possible problems until something happens."

Jones says that businesses print, scan, copy or fax client-sensitive information (or its own sensitive internal information), all the time without much thought about security risks. However, if the information is saved to a copier's hard drive, the consequences could be huge.

“Imagine the information handled by law firms, banks, accountants, hospitals and research and development firms,” Jones said.

Hard drives are used in printer/copier/fax/scanner machines because they can add to the efficiency of office operations by increasing the speed and traffic on the company's network. In times of heavy traffic, jobs can go to the machine, get stored on the hard drive and processed at a later time, instead of overloading the network.

As popularity and sales of multifunction print/fax/scan/copy machines increase in business, so should the awareness of the potential security risks, Jones said.

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