Printers, scanners, and other peripherals have become silent supporters for many offices across the APAC region. These devices often sit quietly in corners, handling their tasks, only grabbing attention if they jam or run out of toner. Over time, they have gained the trust of IT teams and employees as steady, low-maintenance workhorses.

However, as these devices become more connected, integrating with networks and cloud platforms, they deserve more critical attention. For any business serious about IT security, ignoring printer security and how all these devices are managed can turn into a significant problem. Every peripheral is now a possible entry point for cyber threats, especially since hybrid and multisite setups are more popular than ever across APAC.

The numbers back this up. In Quocirca's 2024 Print Security Landscape report, 67% of organizations reported experiencing at least one print-related security incident, up from 61% the year before. For devices that rarely make it onto security checklists, that's a significant gap.

What Counts as a Peripheral Today

When office peripherals are mentioned, traditional printers used to take center stage. Nowadays, the lineup is much bigger and, as more functions move to digital, the risks continue to grow.

In a typical APAC office, today's peripherals often include network printers and multifunction devices that handle printing, copying, scanning, faxing, and emailing straight from network connections. Document scanners used to digitize and share documents, often through WiFi or USB links, are also common. USB mass storage devices like thumb drives, external hard drives, and card readers that staff connect to laptops regularly remain widespread.

IoT-enabled office equipment such as smart projectors, interactive whiteboards, digital signage, and VoIP handsets interconnect and have access to office networks. Kiosks and badge printers that create visitor or employee credentials often store personal data temporarily or locally.

These all share one trait: interaction with your network. As their capabilities grow, so does the risk, unless controls are put in place. Treating printers and IoT devices as beyond the reach of IT security is a gamble with real consequences.

Why Printer Security Is Often Missed

Working with small and midsized enterprises, it's clear why printer security and peripheral management often get overlooked.

Long device lifespans play a significant role. Unlike computers or smartphones, printers and scanners can stick around for a decade. Their security features are rarely revisited after installation.

Default configurations compound the problem, as many devices are installed with factory settings, admin passwords unchanged, and open services left running. Vendor-driven installs contribute as well. IT may leave setup to vendors, assuming security is taken care of, when in reality, it usually isn't.

Shared access adds another layer of complexity. Peripherals are designed for groups, increasing both physical and digital access, making controls tough to keep tight.

Both staff and IT teams may not see these devices as endpoints. This outdated thinking lets threats slip through undetected if a printer or scanner's security gap is exploited. Unlike computers and phones, routine device audits usually skip printers altogether.

How Printers Become Attack Vectors

Many people are surprised to hear that printers and peripherals can serve as attack vectors. These devices are not just idle hardware.

Printers often sit on the same network as desktops and servers, offering a concealed entryway for cybercriminals to reach business-critical systems. Network peripherals frequently offer web portals with weak security, and default credentials are easily found online.

Many printers have hard drives or cache sensitive files such as tax forms, invoices, and HR documents that remain unencrypted and undeleted. Centralized print servers, if left unpatched, can allow malware to infect every device on the network.

Problems can also stem from users installing infected print drivers or using rogue USB sticks. Every link in the chain becomes a possible weak spot if ignored.

I've seen this play out firsthand. At one regional office, an exposed printer web interface with default credentials allowed an attacker to pivot deeper into the network. What started as a minor oversight turned into weeks of remediation work. The printer itself was never the target, just the easiest door left unlocked.

Day-to-Day Office Weaknesses

Organizations across APAC experience security lapses in everyday office behavior.

Sensitive jobs get printed and left unattended for others to see or pick up. Visitors or contractors plug USBs into printers or connect to office WiFi peripherals unchecked. Legacy printers and scanners remain online despite lacking firmware updates or any sort of data protection. Small sites with little IT oversight often have open access to device settings and delayed updates.

These are not just theories. They're patterns I've seen repeatedly in real-life support calls. Add remote offices or coworking spaces, and the risks compound.

APAC and Hybrid Office Realities

The switch to hybrid work and expansion across the region brings extra wrinkles to device security.

Multisite setups created by varying vendors lead to inconsistent security policies, with devices slipping through the cracks. Shared devices in coworking spaces and business centers mean various organizations' staff use the same peripherals, making it hard to tell who's responsible for security.

Outsourcing to regional vendors results in management that's only as strong as local support and practices. With most support happening offsite or handled by small teams, checking up on printers falls to the wayside.

Without clear plans, accountability shrinks. Devices may end up "owned" by facilities staff, while IT thinks someone else is watching. As more work gets done outside corporate headquarters, the problem escalates.

Managing Peripheral Devices

Starting device management doesn't have to feel overwhelming. These key steps work for practically any APAC SME.

Inventory every device. Log all network-connected gadgets, noting location, main user, model, and age.

Assign responsibility by signing off every device to a team or staff member, even if rarely used. Control access by restricting who can change settings, update firmware, or manage the device remotely or at the console.

Track life cycles by following device aging and knowing when vendors stop offering updates or support. Don't keep running abandoned devices.

Keep a centralized and updated record simple, like a cloud document or asset tool, to spot issues quickly. With multisite setups, this is even more crucial.

Spotlight: Print Server Security

Whenever print servers are in play, extra caution is needed.

Centralization brings risk. Print servers carry credentials and configs for all connected printers. If compromised, access can spread networkwide.

Legacy print protocols and outdated drivers stick around, opening up vulnerabilities if not replaced regularly. Many print servers aren't tied into organizational login systems, making user-level controls tough to enforce. Print logs and configuration changes often go unreviewed, letting attacks fly under the radar.

Solutions start with regular software updates, secured authentication, and log monitoring. Have print server status visible in your IT dashboard for quick response to issues. Even with managed services, double-checking internals is always smart.

IT Desktop Support's Crucial Role

Desktop Support teams see nearly every peripheral issue first. What seems like a "printer not working" ticket can sometimes highlight broader security flaws. Quick fixes, such as a new driver from an unknown source, can set up new vulnerabilities or leave devices misconfigured.

Support teams should keep records of every patch, swap, and update. Historical logs help troubleshoot recurring glitches and explain surprising network problems.

If one device type keeps acting up, push for deeper review. Sometimes it's more than just a hardware hiccup. Frontline support also has the best chance to teach staff not to connect unknown USBs or use unauthorized features on shared devices.

IT's day-to-day awareness is key to catching and containing risks before they escalate.

Maintenance: The Forgotten Priority

Maintenance and updates for printers and peripherals often get bumped for bigger projects. This is risky, as outdated firmware or unsupported devices leave the network exposed.

Print devices don't get updated unless someone checks manually, often with vendor tools that few admins visit regularly. When vendors pull support, devices keep running with their oldest, least secure settings intact. When support contracts end, no one is on the hook for ensuring the device is patched or checked for new risks.

Unpatched hardware is often all an attacker needs. For businesses relying on vendors or managed services, check that patching schedules are in place. If not, make manual reviews part of your routine security audits.

Auditing Security: Don't Forget Peripherals

Many security audits give printers and peripherals a free pass as "low risk" endpoints. That's an easy mistake, since attacks on these systems are rarely obvious, and evidence can be subtle.

Make audits count by using discovery tools to identify all printers, scanners, and smart office equipment, even those that everyone forgot about. Confirm admin passwords are unique, and management URLs aren't public.

Document device firmware versions and last update dates. It's a quick look that finds overlooked risks. Make sure on-device storage is encrypted and wiped regularly, or at least not storing critical files by accident.

Include printers in established checklists for a truer picture of your attack surface. For SMEs, syncing printer and IoT policies with standard endpoint security pays off every time.

Frequent Organizational Mistakes

Ownership issues are common. Facilities or admin teams default to handling printers, leaving IT out of the loop.

Devices handled by admin often skip regular IT updates or security checks. Blind trust in vendors leads to assumptions that tech partners change passwords, patch regularly, and erase sensitive data, when often they focus on speedy installs instead of tight security.

Thinking only internal staff use printers ignores real-world risks from visitors, temp workers, or outside connections.

Giving every device a true owner and setting periodic reviews helps sidestep these mistakes. Trusting is good, but verification through process is better.

Building a Sound Security Baseline

You don't need flashy platforms or huge investments to make a difference. A few targeted measures can seriously step up your security.

Every admin credential should be unique, with dormant accounts turned off. Disable features like WiFi Direct or file transfer unless they're needed day to day.

Isolate printers and other smart gadgets on separate VLANs from servers and business-critical data. Switch on audit logs, as simple print and configuration logs can help spot mishaps and catch suspicious activity fast. For environments with more technical resources, consider enabling data-at-rest encryption on device storage and integrating print logs with your existing monitoring tools.

Run basic awareness sessions so people know not to leave documents at printers or use unknown USB drives.

With these steps, your network has a kind of safety net. Errors are less likely to cascade into bigger breaches.

Printers and Peripherals: Hidden Parts of the Attack Surface

Many businesses think their "security adventure" ends with laptops and servers. But leaving printers and other peripherals out of the security equation is risky.

Printers, scanners, and connected gadgets now have their own operating systems, storage, and network reach, putting them in the same category as PCs and workstations. Treating these as regular endpoints prepares organizations to prevent and respond to attacks much faster.

Taking a Closer Look at Your Peripheral Risk

If printers and peripherals haven’t been reviewed recently, there’s a good chance they’re operating outside your current security standards. Many organizations only discover these gaps during audits, incidents, or office changes.

A practical starting point is a focused review of how printers, scanners, and other connected devices are configured, maintained, and supported across your locations. This often highlights quick improvements, from basic access controls to overdue firmware updates, without requiring major disruption.

FunctionEight supports APAC organizations with IT security audits, ongoing IT maintenance, and day-to-day desktop support that include printers and peripherals as part of the broader environment. If you’d like a clearer picture of where your risks and opportunities lie, we’re happy to talk through it.