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By Ivan Kotchetkoff, HP Brazil Office Printing Service business development leader
Lately, we have witnessed several hacker attacks that have taken companies hostage. But how do they get there? For any device connected to the internet, as simple as that. Many companies are vulnerable to cyber criminal intrusions not just by the server, but through any device connected to the wi-fi network, such as an employee's computer and, why not, a wireless printer that can be the port input to steal company data.
To get an idea of the vulnerability, a casino aquarium in North America was recently hacked and hackers in Finland were able to access the entire system there. The tank was connected to the internet to feed the fish automatically and became a weak link in the casino's security.
But, to avoid this type of attack, we install software on the computers that protect the system, right? Right. However, if one of these programs is out of date, the system is vulnerable. The ideal is also to invest in hardware security, seeking solutions that protect all information at the slightest sign of risk. And don't think that only your PC is a gateway for cyber criminals, printers also deserve attention, since most of the important and sensitive documents saved on a computer pass through it. That is, the hacker can steal data from printed or scanned documents, in addition to using it as a gateway to the company's server. In addition, it is very easy to find a list of unprotected printers on the internet, and with a simple Google search, hackers can choose which option is most vulnerable to being hacked. Thus, there are currently technologies that protect printers from any type of attack. A first step is to put an administrative password on the device. Another way is to have the user put the password directly on the printer in order to allow the document to print, thus preventing other people from reading any confidential information when the owner of the document is not around.
Against the hacker attack via the network, the solution is to block directly on the BIOs of the printer or computer. That is, the hardware has a technology that performs a scan to identify malware while the equipment is initialized. In addition, there are tools that help detect threats in real time, performing automated monitoring and validation of embedded software.
In a scenario in which the losses from cyber crimes reached more than US$10.3 billion in Brazil and US$125.9 billion in the world, according to the Norton survey carried out in 2016, to seek solutions that protect the system at the slightest sign of risk it is the smartest way to ensure the security of business information. Companies should not wait to be invaded to take action against cyber attacks - the chances of the worst happening are very high and the damage is enormous.
To get an idea of the vulnerability, a casino aquarium in North America was recently hacked and hackers in Finland were able to access the entire system there. The tank was connected to the internet to feed the fish automatically and became a weak link in the casino's security.
But, to avoid this type of attack, we install software on the computers that protect the system, right? Right. However, if one of these programs is out of date, the system is vulnerable. The ideal is also to invest in hardware security, seeking solutions that protect all information at the slightest sign of risk. And don't think that only your PC is a gateway for cyber criminals, printers also deserve attention, since most of the important and sensitive documents saved on a computer pass through it. That is, the hacker can steal data from printed or scanned documents, in addition to using it as a gateway to the company's server. In addition, it is very easy to find a list of unprotected printers on the internet, and with a simple Google search, hackers can choose which option is most vulnerable to being hacked. Thus, there are currently technologies that protect printers from any type of attack. A first step is to put an administrative password on the device. Another way is to have the user put the password directly on the printer in order to allow the document to print, thus preventing other people from reading any confidential information when the owner of the document is not around.
Against the hacker attack via the network, the solution is to block directly on the BIOs of the printer or computer. That is, the hardware has a technology that performs a scan to identify malware while the equipment is initialized. In addition, there are tools that help detect threats in real time, performing automated monitoring and validation of embedded software.
In a scenario in which the losses from cyber crimes reached more than US$10.3 billion in Brazil and US$125.9 billion in the world, according to the Norton survey carried out in 2016, to seek solutions that protect the system at the slightest sign of risk it is the smartest way to ensure the security of business information. Companies should not wait to be invaded to take action against cyber attacks - the chances of the worst happening are very high and the damage is enormous.
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