Back in the early 2000s the focus of IT security strategies was on desktop computers because this was where the data mainly resided but today computers are hidden. Data now resides on more devices including smart copiers, servers, table and mobiles. Many organisations do not realise that print devices are connected to the internet.
“Only 59% of UK SMBs include printers and/or multifunctional printers (MFPs) in their security strategy” Xerox 2016 survey .
A prolific malware, called Mirai, has recently affected these ‘other devices’ and been identified in 164 countries to date. The malware automatically finds Internet of Things devices such as webcams, printers and routers instead of desktops to infect and conscripts them into a botnet – a group of computing devices that can be centrally controlled. It then can mount distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks in which a firehose of junk traffic floods a target’s servers with malicious traffic. Mirai has proven itself to be remarkably flexible and adaptable and different strains have been identified. The one reason Mirai is so difficult to contain is that it lurks on devices, and generally doesn’t noticeably affect their performance.
Making people aware of what the security threats are and addressing the security triad – the balance of technology, people, process – is important. Xerox partner with McAfee to develop a proactive approach for protecting print devices and data from malware. The McAfee embedded Control software, developed jointly with Xerox, adopts a whitelisting approach – where only authorised apps can run – and monitors what is executing without affecting the performance of the device.
The software is designed for simple to complex environments, providing immediate security alerts and an audit trail. This enables organisations to track and investigate the time and origin of security threats and take appropriate action.
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