Vasion’s Justin Scott: Agencies Should Advance Print Security to Safeguard Data From Hackers

Photo: Justin Scott / Vasion

Justin Scott, senior director of DevOps and security at Vasion, said government agencies seeking to prevent data breaches and reduce vulnerabilities should prioritize strengthening the security of their printers and print servers.

Why Are Printers & Print Servers High-Value Targets for Hackers?

In an article published on Carahsoft.com, Scott emphasized that agencies should not view printers and print servers as “set-and-forget devices.”

Printers and print servers are attractive targets for hackers because they have a privileged network position and offer access to multiple network segments and stored credentials. Hackers who access a government CCTO’s printer can intercept all documents sent to that device,” he wrote.

Scott outlined several steps agencies can take to mitigate risks associated with printers and print servers.

“Agencies can reduce risks by patching print servers, changing default passwords, segmenting printing infrastructure on isolated networks and controlling printer access,” he said.

How a Cloud-Native Print Platform Could Help Agencies Enhance Security?

According to Scott, cloud-based print platforms such as Vasion’s can help agencies address security vulnerabilities and eliminate single points of failure by removing the need for print servers while allowing them to maintain control of their printers. 

He noted that the company’s cloud-native print tool, now listed on the FedRAMP Marketplace as “In Process,” holds SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001:2022 certifications and is pursuing FedRAMP High and Department of Defense Impact Level 4 authorizations.

Scott added that Vasion employs zero trust principles to ensure data encryption and highlighted several print security services the company provides, including Secure Release Printing, Off-Network Printing, QR-based touchless printing and a mobile app.