21 May The hidden endpoint

Peter Oganesean, Managing Director, Middle East and East Africa, HP Inc. says it’s time to rethink print security in SMB cybersecurity strategies.

Across global markets, where digital transformation and hybrid work are accelerating, printers have evolved into intelligent, networked devices, yet many small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) continue to treat them as low-maintenance infrastructure, disconnected from broader security practices. In a more distributed workplace, this leads to a growing security gap: devices that regularly process sensitive data are not governed with the same level of control as other endpoints.

Our latest research shows how print security has been deprioritised, with 57% of SMBs saying print security is a low priority in their cybersecurity strategy. The disconnect between how critical print workflows are and how little attention they receive has created a vulnerability that many SMBs continue to underestimate, and one that attackers are quick to take advantage of.

Print workflows beyond IT’s line of sight

Print workflows are no longer confined to office walls. They now extend across home environments, shared spaces and personal devices, where visibility is limited and control is harder to maintain.

At the same time, these workflows continue to handle highly sensitive information – from payroll data and contracts, to customer and patient records. Without a clear understanding of how documents are printed, shared or stored, organisations risk losing control over one of the most common paths for data exposure. Something as simple as sending a document to the wrong printer or leaving it uncollected can lead to confidential information being exposed, often without anyone noticing right away.

According to Quocirca, 56% of SMBs have experienced a print-related data loss incident in the past year. A further 57% say documents printed on employee-owned home printers are now a top factor in data loss.

Our new research shows behaviour is a key factor that increases this risk. A majority of 55% of SMBs say that employees try to bypass their organisation’s print guidelines. Meanwhile, 66% of knowledge workers assume printers are secure simply because they sit behind a firewall, and half don’t consider printers a security threat at all.

Despite low prioritisation, many SMBs acknowledge print security needs improvement and worry about the security risks outdated systems pose. The top printer security concerns reflect this tension:

• Cybersecurity risks linked to connected printers
• Confidential documents left on the printer
• Cloud vulnerabilities related to scanned documents
• Unauthorised access to print files or queues
• Misprinting, misfiling or mishandling materials

These risks are not difficult to address, but only if SMBs start treating print and scan workflows as part of their broader security environment, rather than separate from it.

Without that shift, maintaining resilience across hybrid ways of working becomes increasingly uncertain. The future of work is often framed around cloud and AI, but it also depends on securing the everyday document processes that move sensitive information between physical and digital spaces.

Legacy print infrastructure, modern security risk

Another key risk is that almost two-thirds (65%) of SMBs frequently worry about the security risks outdated systems pose. SMBs still rely on older printers running outdated firmware and default credentials. These devices quietly process and store sensitive data while remaining largely unmanaged.

Outdated firmware and unchanged default settings can turn printers into easy access points within the network. If compromised, they can act as a gateway into broader systems, especially when they are not monitored to the same standards as other endpoints.

Applying inconsistent security standards across devices creates unnecessary risk, leaving parts of the IT environment protected than others.

Scaling print security for the future of work

Almost seven-in-ten (69%) SMBs acknowledge print security needs improvement. To secure the future of work they need secure print hardware foundations and protection that keeps pace with evolving threats.

Smart printing builds on these secure hardware foundations by embedding visibility, policy enforcement and audit trails directly into print and scan workflows.

Of SMBs that have adopted smart printing, 89% say it provides clearer visibility into printing and scanning activity across users and locations, 86% say it helps them meet compliance and security standards, and 85% say it improves enforcement of rules and restrictions.

In the future of work, treating print as secondary is no longer sustainable. The cost of a data breach can be significant, from financial losses to regulatory consequences and lasting reputational impact. Leaving print outside the overall security approach only increases that risk.

Printers are now embedded in how office work gets done. As print and scan workflows become more digital and cloud-connected, they need the same level of protection as any other endpoint.

For SMBs, this comes down to three essentials: secure hardware at the core, protection that keeps up with evolving threats, and the ability to maintain oversight and control across workflows at scale.

Integrating print into the security strategy is a practical way to reduce risk and protect sensitive information as work becomes more distributed.