Use These Methods to Secure Your Printer

Like any gadget, the printer also needs maintenance and security, but most of the printer users tend to ignore this fact or don’t think of it as a necessary task. Contrary to their beliefs, it is essential to secure your printer, or else it may possess a security risk. This majorly happens when an internal hard drive of the network printer stores previous print jobs in a queue. People who have access to such a printer can hack its operating system and check all the data, which might be the source of some private information. You can avoid such situations by using the methods mentioned below:

Update Your Printer Firmware

Like any device, printers should also be updated with time to ensure the overall security of the gadget. However, printers don’t receive frequent updates like a computer OS, but still, you should regularly check for updates. If you use a printer with an interactive display, then use its screen to check for updates. You can also use your printer’s PC software to check for updates. This means you can find the latest updates on the Setup or Advanced Settings page. But these options might differ depending on the printer brand you use. Installing updates will fix security patches and remove vulnerabilities.

Password-Protect Remote Access

These days, most of the modern network printers allow users to manage their printer through a web interface. Despite being a useful feature, printer users have to be careful not to let anyone else access it. But first, you should check if your printer supports this feature. To do so, enter its IP address on any browser or use an app associated with your printer. You can easily enable security with this method as it doesn’t require any password by default.

If you use HP’s Embedded Web Server, head to Settings and select Security. Then, click on Password Settings. This will ensure that no one other than you can make any changes to your printer, even if they have your printer’s IP address.

Restrict Printing Permissions

If multiple people share your computer and you don’t want some of them to have access to your printer, then use the Windows option to allow only a few people to access your printer. To use this method, head to the Settings of your computer, and click on Printers & Scanners. Then, select your printer from the list, and click on Manage. A new screen will open from where you have to click on Printer Properties to get access to extended options.

Now, from the Properties tab, switch to Security to find the list of users on your computer. You can also check permissions for each user. To change the approval for a particular user or group, select their name from the list and select Deny on anything you want to permit. Remember, this method applies to your PC users only, and users can use the printer if it is on your network.

Secure Your Networked Printer

If you use your printer on the network, then you should check your home’s network connection and ensure that it’s completely secured. Doing so will minimize any chances of inviting a malicious intruder attacking your printer, and other devices connected to that network.

The bare minimum step you can use is by adding a strong password on your network and changing the default password for logging into your router. It will make it harder for hackers and intruders to get into your network and invade any device.

Use Advanced Printer Security

The tips mentioned above are enough to secure your printer, but you can still add more security to it by using some advanced tools. It will ensure overall safety. One of the best ways to do so is by using a firewall on your PC, and the other method is to use a router for restricting network printing requests on your printer.

You can use the firewall to restrict some functions. You can also choose to manage multiple network ports in your router’s configuration panel. Since any user can use multiple ports for different printing objectives, you can restrict or prevent such users from accessing your printer. But where you want to manage the port depends entirely on the router model you have in your house.

Incorporate these methods to ensure overall security. All the techniques mentioned above serve a different purpose and resolve unique issues. Apart from technical security, you should also maintain the physical safety of your printer, especially if you live in a shared space. Also, note that some of the tool options mentioned above might have a different name on your PC and printer.

Source:-    Secure Your Printer

 

Tips to Secure your Windows 10

Keeping your Windows operating system safe from hackers and online attacks is a crucial step in protecting your data on your PC. There are different ways to secure your Windows without spending any money.

In this article, we will mention some beneficial tips for Windows users to secure their system:

Stay up-to-date

We often ignore the pop-up notification to update our system. But the outdated system creates a threat of various online attacks and transmission of viruses and malware into our system. Whenever you update your Windows, Microsoft automatically fixes the security loopholes in your operating system. Updated Windows also strengthens the defense mechanism of your operating system to protect itself from online attacks. You can easily update your system by clicking on the “Start” button and then open the “Settings.” Then click on “Windows Update” and then tap on “Check for Updates.” Another way of updating your system is by pressing the Windows key+1 and then click on “Update & Security.”

Set a strong password for your PC

Your system’s security is not limited to the internet only; you also need to secure your system offline. Your system comes in contact with various public networks which makes your data vulnerable to risks like data theft and misuse of your data. Even if your PC gets stolen, you are putting your data at high risk.

To avoid this kind of mishappenings, you should secure your PC with a strong password. You can set a password in Windows 10 by clicking on” Start” and then tap on “Settings.” Then, go to “Sign-in” options and set a strong password in the appeared window. You can set other security measures like a physical security key, a PIN, your fingerprint, facial recognition, and more.

Check the administrator account on your PC

The administrator account holder can make various changes in your PC without any consent from other users. The owner of the PC should only access the administrator account. You can check which account is linked to your computer by clicking on the “Start” button and then click on “Settings.” In the newly appeared window, check the “Family & other users” option and it will show you other users who can access your computer. Make sure the administrator account only belongs to you.

Regular updating of computer programs

An updated operating system is not the only step to block any online threats. Keeping your other programs updated also plays a vital role in securing your Windows. Some programs are capable of updating itself automatically, but other programs need your attention from time to time. If you have downloaded applications from Microsoft Store, then open the Microsoft Store and click on the three dots on the upper right corner and then click on “Downloads and updates”. If you have downloaded any other than Microsoft programs, then you can visit their website regularly to check for the latest updates.

Delete applications that you don’t use

There are tons of applications available that can help you to perform various functions. Because of this abundant availability, our system is often filled with useless programs and applications that we don’t use. Removing these programs makes your system more secure, and it enhances the performance of your system at the same time. To uninstall unwanted files, you can use the uninstaller on Windows 10. Go to the “Settings” and tap on the “Apps” option. Then, a window will appear with all your programs and applications installed on your PC. Select the unwanted apps and click on “Uninstall.” You can also use various software to get rid of unwanted applications and programs.

Go for a good antivirus software

Windows 10 already has in-built antivirus software, but it only offers basic protection from online threats. Many Microsoft users don’t install efficient antivirus software in their system, which makes them an easy target for online attacks. By installing good antivirus software in your PC, you are adding an extra layer of security from potential hackers. There is various antivirus software available that protects your system without affecting its performance.

Keep your firewall always on

Your computer’s firewall is the primary protection that protects you from online attacks. Make sure your firewall is always on with Windows Defender. To check your firewall, go to the “Settings” and then tap on “Update & Settings” and then click on “Windows Security.” Then check the green checkmark against the “Firewall & network protection” option. Another option to check your firewall is by clicking on “Control Panel” and then tap on “Windows Defender Firewall.”

Use a paid VPN service

If you frequently use public Wi-Fi networks, then your data might be at risk of online theft. Without a VPN, your data is prone to encryption and can be misused by any malicious user. To protect yourself from such online threats, make sure you invest in a paid VPN service. Free VPN services are not very effective in protecting your data as they sell your data to third parties to earn money.

Encrypt your files

In case your system gets stolen, and your important files are not encrypted, then those files can be misused in different ways. Windows 10 comes with a “BitLocker” which is fully capable of encrypting your in-built or portable drives. To set up “Bitlocker”, go to “Control Panel” and then tap on “System and Security”, then select the “BitLocker Drive Encryption” and follow the rest of the instructions.

Conclusion

Setting computer security is crucial to safeguard our data. We often don’t pay attention to our computer’s security until a problem arises, and sometimes it becomes too late because the online attack has already caused great harm to our system. The tips, as mentioned above, are straightforward to follow and do not consume your time. You can follow these tips to strengthen your system against potential online attacks and viruses. 

Source:-  Tips to Secure your Windows 10