A number of offices have made it their business to secure confidential data stored on their computers-but many leave their network copiers vulnerable.

Experts say that could be a potentially expensive mistake. Because digital copiers and multifunctional products (MFPs) store data on their hard drives and connect directly to an office's network, they are susceptible to the same threats as a computer and need to be properly secured. Fortunately, there are steps organizations can take to ensure adequate security:

1. Secure Print Jobs: Your organization can protect the confidentiality of documents on a shared network printer by protecting print jobs with personal access codes. By using this feature, office workers are able to hold off on their document printing until they have manually entered a password on the printer's control panel. This feature offers added control to workgroup users and eliminates any unnecessary sprinting to the printer to grab a document before someone else does.

2. Delete Confidential Data From A Device's Hard Drive: Documents that are scanned by an MFP leave a "digital footprint" on the system's hard drive that can be read by unauthorized third parties after the device leaves your office. To protect against this type of security breach, Kyocera offers a Data Security Kit that overwrites all information that is stored on a hard drive every time it is powered up. This package also has an option to manually "scrub" the hard drive's memory so all data can be rendered unrecoverable to unauthorized third parties before the device is resold or retired.

3. Secure Your Documents: "Network Authentication" secures your organization's documents by ensuring that only authorized individuals are using an office MFP. This level of security is critical for any device that is connected directly to the company's network. Look for a server-based authentication solution rather than device-based network authentication. Because a server-based solution can be managed centrally, it does not require extensive IT management and therefore contributes to a lower total cost of ownership.

4. Ensure Network Security: Kyocera offers a unique network interface card for its MFPs and printers that provides an added layer of protection for a company's network. Using a Network Interface Card, security can be customized to permit limited or restricted access to workgroup users and full access to IT administrators.

For more information, visit www.kyoceramita.com. It's important for offices to secure their network copiers and multifunctional products.

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