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Konica Minolta and Bitdefender provide security for your multi-function printer network. Comprehensive antivirus protection, encryption, and user authentication.
The modern workplace is a network of potential vulnerabilities, and the humble office printer is often the most overlooked. While IT teams focus on securing computers and servers, network printer security remains a critical but unaddressed risk. Unsecured printers can act as a gateway for cyber threats, exposing sensitive data and compromising the entire network. The challenge is that a strategic approach to security — one that involves constant monitoring, regular firmware updates, and the enforcement of strong authentication — demands time and manpower.
This is a problem Konica Minolta understands well. We know your time is valuable, which is why we’ve developed a secure printing solution that automates printer security, allowing your team to focus on the work that truly matters. Our bizhub i-Series is designed to not only protect your network but to also simplify the entire management of your print environment.
To provide comprehensive protection, Konica Minolta has partnered with Bitdefender, a global leader in IT security. This collaboration addresses a significant, yet often underestimated, security risk: the document and information processing that occurs directly via the multi-function printers (MFP) itself.
Unlike many competitors who may use whitelisting or imply a partnership with an antivirus provider that isn't technically genuine, Konica Minolta offers a unique solution for your office printer. Bitdefender’s industry-leading antivirus engine is embedded directly into the firmware of our bizhub i-Series. This deep integration allows for real-time monitoring of all scanned files and documents transferred to and from the device, and also enables both automatic and on-demand virus scanning on the hard drives.
Our commitment to a world-class security solution is underscored by Bitdefender's reputation for excellence. The company has received multiple accolades for its innovations, including Best Protection for Consumer Users and Corporate Users, Best Advanced Protection for Corporate Users, and Best Android and MacOS Security for Consumer Users. This partnership provides extensive protection for your MFP, distinguishing our solution in the market.
The collaboration with Bitdefender provides a suite of robust security features designed to protect your network and printer with minimal manual intervention.
The bizhub i-Series utilises Bitdefender's industry-leading virus scanning engine, seamlessly integrated into our office printers. This powerful engine works to detect and block malware, ransomware, and other threats before they can compromise your network.
The device continuously monitors data exchanged between the MFPs and external environments, detecting and responding to threats in real-time. This proactive approach ensures immediate action is taken against any suspicious activity.
For added flexibility, users can manually initiate scans via the device's control panel, allowing for quick, on-the-spot threat detection whenever needed.
The antivirus definitions are regularly updated automatically without requiring user intervention. This ensures your office printer in Singapore remains protected against new and emerging threats, saving your team from the hassle of manual updates.
The system employs AI-driven algorithms to identify and mitigate zero-day threats and previously unknown malware. This advanced capability protects against sophisticated attacks that traditional signature-based detection might miss.
All scanning activities are recorded in the MFP's audit log. This feature is crucial for compliance, providing a clear record of security events and aiding in security monitoring.
The antivirus engine is embedded directly within the MFP firmware, providing endpoint-grade protection that is optimised specifically for the printer hardware, ensuring a high level of performance and security.
Secure Print assigns a document ID and password to print data, saving it to a user's Secure Print User Box. This prevents unauthorised access to printed materials, ensuring documents are only retrieved by the intended recipient. This essential bizhub feature complements Bitdefender’s embedded protection, creating a comprehensive security layer for both in-transit data and the final printed output.
The bizhub i-Series printers support Syslog-based log transmission for integration with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems. This enables centralised monitoring and threat analysis, giving you a holistic view of your network's security status.
While a robust antivirus solution is critical, it's also important to understand the full scope of security risks your print environment faces.
Printers can store a wealth of sensitive information, from financial records and employee details to Wi-Fi credentials. If compromised, attackers can access this data or use the printer as a backdoor into your network. This is why you need to ask yourself, are network printers a security risk? Because the answer is a definitive yes.
Many printers support outdated or unnecessary protocols (e.g., Telnet, FTP, SNMP) that can be exploited if not properly disabled or secured. Without proper attention, these can become an easy entry point for malicious actors.
Printers can be infected with malware, potentially leading to system compromises or ransomware attacks that disrupt business operations and hold your data hostage. The question of how to secure a network printer becomes essential to prevent such scenarios.
Even with digital security measures in place, physical threats remain. Unattended printouts left in the output tray can be accessed by unauthorised individuals, leading to potential data leaks or theft. Wireless printer security risk is also a concern, as these devices can be more vulnerable if not properly configured on a secure network.
To complement the integrated security features of your bizhub office printer, here are some best practices you can adopt to maintain a secure print environment.
Ensure your office printers receive timely firmware updates from the manufacturer to protect against known vulnerabilities and patch new ones.
Turn off unnecessary services and protocols to minimise potential attack vectors and reduce your printer's digital footprint.
Utilise secure print release mechanisms to ensure that print jobs are only retrieved by authorised users. This simple step significantly reduces the risk of unauthorised access to sensitive documents.
Use encryption protocols to protect print data while it is in transit from a computer to the office printer, safeguarding it from interception and snooping.
Require users to authenticate before accessing office printer functionalities, using methods like PINs, passwords, or security badges. This adds another layer of security and ensures accountability.
Place printers in monitored areas in the office and restrict access to authorised personnel only. This helps prevent physical theft or tampering.
Conduct periodic security assessments to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in your print environment before they can be exploited.
In an age where every device is a potential target, the best defence is a proactive and automated one. The question of how to secure a Wi-Fi printer and an entire fleet of network devices no longer has to be a manual, time-consuming task. With its embedded Bitdefender antivirus, Konica Minolta's bizhub i-Series offers a secure printing solution that handles security for you.
Explore our flagship bizhub C651i, C551i, and C451i models in Singapore to discover an office printer that works for you. As the devices that integrate the Bitdefender antivirus engine directly into their firmware, they provide a powerful and effortless security solution. With features like secure network integration, data encryption, and advanced user authentication, these models meet the latest security requirements and are compliant with ISO/IEC 15408.