Why Office Print Security Remains as Important – and Overlooked – as Ever

Office print security has long been treated as a footnote in wider cybersecurity strategies. Laptops, mobile devices, cloud platforms and identity systems tend to dominate board‑level conversations, while printers are quietly left humming in the background – rarely questioned, rarely updated and rarely monitored. Yet as modern multifunction devices become smarter, more connected and more embedded in digital workflows, the risks associated with unsecured print environments have grown significantly.

Quocirca’s latest Print Security Landscape report highlights the scale of the issue: 56% of organisations experienced a print‑related data loss in the past 12 months, with the average breach costing £820,000. That’s not a marginal concern – it’s a major, measurable business risk. And it’s happening because print remains one of the most overlooked endpoints in the modern workplace.

Print devices are intelligent, connected endpoints

Today’s multifunction printers (MFPs) are no longer simple output devices. They’re sophisticated, cloud‑connected platforms that support scanning, routing, collaboration, workflow automation and remote access. They store data, communicate across networks, integrate with cloud apps and authenticate users.

This evolution brings clear productivity benefits, but it also expands the attack surface. Every device connected to your network is a potential entry point for cyber threats. When organisations modernise their digital workplace but leave print devices unmanaged, they create a security blind spot that attackers can exploit.

Why print security is still overlooked

Several factors contribute to print’s persistent invisibility in cybersecurity planning:

• Legacy assumptions: Many organisations still view printers as “dumb” hardware, not as networked computers with storage, firmware and connectivity
• Fragmented ownership: Print often sits between IT, facilities and procurement, meaning no single team takes full responsibility for securing it
• Hybrid working pressures: Home printers, remote access and mobile printing introduce new risks that are harder to govern centrally
• Underestimated impact: Because print breaches often stem from human error, organisations underestimate how easily sensitive data can be exposed

The result is a perfect storm: highly capable devices, increasingly complex workflows and insufficient oversight. From high-level remote cyber-attacks exposing network data, to simple document theft from an unsupervised output tray, these risks are amplified in hybrid environments where inconsistent security baselines are involved.

Why print security matters more in hybrid and cloud-first workplaces

Hybrid working has fundamentally changed how organisations handle documents. Employees print from home networks, mobile devices and cloud platforms. Sensitive information moves across environments that IT teams don’t fully control. And because print volumes have decreased, organisations assume the risk has decreased too.

In reality, the opposite is true.

• Remote printing increases exposure to unsecured networks
• Cloud print services require strong identity controls and encrypted channels
• Home printers rarely meet corporate security standards
• Reduced oversight means anomalies go unnoticed for longer

Print has become more distributed, more digital and more integrated with cloud workflows – making centralised security controls essential.

Zero Trust and print: a natural fit

Zero trust principles – verify everything, trust nothing – apply perfectly to print environments. A zero‑trust print strategy ensures:

• Every user is authenticated
• Every device is hardened and monitored
• Every workflow is encrypted
• Every action is logged

This approach reduces both accidental and malicious breaches, supports compliance obligations and strengthens overall cyber resilience.

Why organisations must act now

Print security is no longer optional. The combination of hybrid working, cloud adoption, rising cyber threats and increasingly intelligent devices means organisations must treat print as a first‑class security priority.

Ignoring print security doesn’t just risk data loss – it risks regulatory penalties, reputational damage and operational disruption. And with modern MFPs offering robust built‑in protections, securing print is easier and more cost‑effective than ever.

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If you’re looking to strengthen your print environment, Key Digital can help you integrate print and security into one seamless, resilient infrastructure. Our specialists align devices, workflows and protection layers so your organisation stays secure, compliant and ready for whatever comes next. Get in touch to find out more.