5 Secure Printing Practices to Protect Your Business Data

Securing printed data is a critical aspect of information management that is often overlooked. While digital security dominates the conversation, many organisations still rely on physical documents to store, share, and process sensitive information. Left unprotected, these documents can pose significant threats to privacy, confidentiality, and regulatory compliance.

Common risks associated with unsecured printed data include data breaches resulting from misplaced or stolen documents, unauthorised access by internal or external parties, and non-compliance with data protection laws such as the PDPA or GDPR. For organisations handling financial records, medical files, or client information, these lapses can lead to reputational damage, financial penalties, and loss of stakeholder trust.

Therefore, implementing robust print security measures is not just a best practice — it is essential for maintaining operational integrity and meeting legal obligations. Here are five ways to protect your business data.

Implement Print Encryption

Print encryption is a security measure that protects documents while they are being transmitted from a computer to a multifunction device (MFD). During this process, data is temporarily vulnerable — without encryption, it can be intercepted by anyone with access to the network. This opens the door to unauthorised viewing, duplication, or manipulation of sensitive content before it reaches the MFD.

With print encryption in place, the document is encoded so that even if the data is intercepted en route, it remains protected from any unauthorised party. The primary benefits of implementing print encryption include preventing data leakage, guarding against tampering, and maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information. This is especially critical in environments where personal data, financial reports, or proprietary information are routinely printed.

To secure print jobs effectively, organisations should adopt encryption protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS), AES-256, RSA or Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) encryption, which provide a secure channel between the user’s device and MFD. TLS, for example, ensures that the print data is encrypted end-to-end during transmission, reducing the risk of exposure across the network. Supporting encryption at rest — where documents are also stored securely on the MFD itself— adds an additional layer of protection.

User Authentication

Protecting sensitive documents requires more than just securing the data in transit — organisations must also control who can access and retrieve printouts. User authentication plays a vital role in this, ensuring that only authorised individuals can release and collect confidential documents. At the same time, these security measures must support a seamless workflow to avoid disrupting daily operations.

Modern secure print solutions allow users to release their print jobs only after authenticating themselves at the MFD. This authentication can take several forms, including the use of access cards, PIN codes, or even cardless options like Face Recognition Authentication. These methods not only prevent sensitive documents from being left unattended in MFDtrays but also enhance accountability by tracking who printed what and when.

Solutions like uniFLOW Online are purpose-built to support secure user authentication ensures that every print job is tied to a verified user identity before it is released. This minimises the risk of unauthorised access and strengthens overall document security.

Features such as Secure Print and My Print Anywhere further enhance security and flexibility. With these functions, print jobs are not automatically released when sent; instead, they are held securely in a user’s print queue. The user must physically authenticate at a compatible device to release the job — whether they’re in the same office or at another location within the organisation’s network. This on-demand approach significantly reduces the risk of confidential documents being viewed or collected by the wrong person.

Monitor and Audit Print Activity

Effective print security also requires visibility. By monitoring and auditing print activity, organisations gain a clear picture of who is printing what, when, and where. This transparency is essential for both operational oversight and risk mitigation.

With detailed logs and reports, IT teams can detect unusual patterns or anomalies, such as excessive printing by a single user, or large volumes of confidential documents being printed outside of regular hours. These insights help identify potential security breaches early and support timely intervention.

Monitoring also plays a key role in meeting compliance requirements. While regulations like HIPAA and GDPR are more prominent in the US and Europe, organisations across Asia are increasingly aligning with global standards such as ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, and local data protection laws (e.g. PDPA in Singapore). Maintaining a clear audit trail of print activity demonstrates accountability and strengthens an organisation’s ability to respond to compliance audits or data incident investigations.

Modern print management solutions provide centralised dashboards and automated reporting features, making it easier for organisations to track usage, enforce policies, and document adherence to internal or external security standards.

Secure Print Devices and Networks

MFDs are integral to office operations, but their network connectivity and data-handling capabilities make them potential security risks if not properly managed. Securing these devices —both physically and digitally— is essential to protect sensitive information and maintain the integrity of the organisation’s IT environment.

One key security measure is keeping MFD firmware up to date, as updates often include critical patches and performance improvements—neglecting them can leave vulnerabilities unaddressed. Trellix™ Embedded Control further strengthens protection by allowing only authorised programmes from a dynamic whitelist to run, blocking unknown or malicious code, ensuring the integrity of Canon-approved firmware.

It's also important to disable unused ports and protocols. Many MFDs come equipped with a range of connectivity features, some of which may not be needed for your organisation’s use case.

Finally, place MFDs on segmented networks or behind firewalls. Isolating these devices from the core business network adds an extra layer of protection. If a security incident occurs, segmentation limits the scope of potential damage and prevents unauthorised access to more critical systems.

Ensure Proper Disposal of Printed Materials

Securing printed data also extends to how documents are discarded. Improper disposal of printed materials remains one of the most common sources of data leaks, particularly when documents contain personal, financial, or proprietary information.

To mitigate this risk, use shredders or secure disposal bins for any documents containing sensitive content. Basic recycling bins are insufficient, as discarded pages can easily be retrieved and misused. Cross-cut or micro-cut shredders offer a higher level of security, ensuring documents are thoroughly destroyed and unreadable.

Equally important is to train staff on proper disposal protocols. Everyone — from front-line employees to senior management — should understand the importance of securely discarding printed materials. Establishing clear policies and incorporating them into regular training can help prevent lapses, especially in fast-paced environments where convenience may take precedence.

It’s also critical not to overlook seemingly harmless materials such as printed drafts, failed print jobs, or internal memos. These can still contain fragments of sensitive data.

Safeguard your documents and streamline workflows. Connect with a Canon expert to customise a print security strategy tailored to your needs.