Mitigating Risk Posed by Information Stored on Multi-functional devices, Photocopiers, Fax Machines and Printers
This article provides guidance on the risk posed by sensitive information stored on multi-functional devices and how institutions should mitigate that risk. Risk Photocopiers, fax machines and printers more often than not are equipped with a hard drive or flash memory that stores digital images of the documents that are copied, transmitted or printed by the device. Corporates use these devices regularly to process documents of their customers and also for their internal needs. Many of these documents often contain confidential information such as PII, Trade secrets or sensitive legal information. To reduce the capex expenditure, corporates lease photocopiers, fax machines and printers for a set period of time which includes service as well. At the end of the lease period, the devices are returned to the leasing company. During the lease period also there are chances that devices may go faulty and are replaced by the vendor. In both of these cases any data still stored on the devic...