When you think of hacking, it's natural to conjure up an image of a criminal infiltrating one or multiple computers. And while computers are often a target for hackers, you'd be surprised at how common it is for your printer to be hacked, too.

But why exactly are printers hacked, and is it easy to do so?

Why Are Printers Hacked?

At this point, you may be wondering why anyone would want to hack a printer. What's the worst they can do, print random pages? Well, in reality, they can do a lot more.

Of course, hackers can take control of printers to print worrying or threatening messages, be it for malicious purposes or entertainment. However, while this can be scary or irritating, if an attacker can only print documents and nothing more, you don't have anything serious to worry about (though you should cut off their access as quickly as possible).

The real problems occur when an attacker takes things beyond printing alone. What many people don't realize is that when hackers try to gain control of devices, they often do so remotely via a network. To do this, these attackers will look for a weak point in the network, which is usually the device with the lowest security level.

As you may have guessed, printers are generally less secure than computers and laptops, so they can be hacked quickly and easily.

Individuals and companies alike often make the mistake of protecting their computers to the best of their ability without giving the safety of their printers a second thought. So, what exactly can happen when a printer gets hacked?

Firstly, hacking a printer can give cybercriminals access to important data stored on a computer, which they can use for malicious purposes. Hackers can even carry out ransomware attacks using stolen data, which gives them the ability to hold entire companies hostage. Botnet attacks can also occur through the hacking of a printer. This involves turning infected devices into "zombie bots", meaning they are rendered useless to anyone except the attackers who control them.

Denial-of-service attacks are also common in printer hacks, which can shut down networks and devices, making it impossible for a company to serve its users.

So, is it easy for attackers to take control of devices and steal data via a printer?

How Are Printers Hacked?

Printers can be hacked both physically and remotely. An attacker can insert a flash drive infected with malware into a printer, giving them control of the printer and potentially the devices connected to it. However, this means that a hacker would need direct access to the desired printer. So, alternatively, hackers can infiltrate printers remotely.

These days, most printers in operation can connect wirelessly using Wi-Fi. This opens up a whole new world of hacking potential for cybercriminals, as they can target a Wi-Fi network and potentially access the devices connected to it without needing to be in direct contact with them.

But printer hacks are by no means inevitable. You can do things to protect your printer from attackers and keep your devices and data safe.

How to Protect Your Printer

It's just as important to protect your printer as it is to protect all your other devices. But how can you do this? Well, you should begin with the firmware. Regularly updating your printer's firmware is the best way to keep its security features up to date. It can be the difference between protecting your printer and making it an easy target for attackers.

You should also disable wireless printing as much as possible on your printer, as it's often the wireless connection that increases the chances of a hack. If you only use your printer via a hardwire connection, you should permanently disable wireless printing.

Additionally, you can opt for using a VPN whenever you connect your printer to a Wi-Fi network. This makes it much harder for the printer to be accessed, as a VPN can encrypt data and mask the IP address of any device connected to it.

Keeping Your Printer Safe Is More Important than You Think

While it's easy to assume that printers are pretty basic pieces of technology that need no protection, many hackers know that printers are often the weakest link in a network and the most unsuspecting targets for an attack. So, if you want to lower the chance of a cyberattack across the board, it may pay off to ensure that your printer is being taken care of, too.