Today, technology has progressed to such an extent that devices which once served simple, one-way processes are now "smart" and connected to networks. They help organisations maximise their business processes and improve efficiency.
One such example would be card printers, particularly the ones that produce secure identification for government entities as well as credit cards, debit cards, ATM cards, and pre-paid cards for financial organisations.
Evolution of the card printing technology
From being static technology, these card printers have evolved into a network connected device that has a series of built-in security tools that prevent fraudulent use of printers to create fake government identity cards, credit cards, and debit cards, among others. These devices now come with additional capabilities to collect and provide valuable insights into the user data, allowing organisations to improve on their levels of service and operations.
As card printers become part of a more complex and growing network, which companies leverage on to create value, there are still some considerable risks that decision makers should be wary of. For example, despite the built-in security features that many card printers come with today, cases of fraudulent use still remain high. Last year, Symantec's Norton Cybercrime Report 2012 found credit card fraud and identity theft incidents in Singapore were at 10 percent and 8 percent, which is higher than the global average of 7 percent and 6 percent respectively. This shows that the network, to which the card printers are connected to, remain vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Mitigating unnecessary risks
As technology continues to evolve, there will always be new security issues cropping up, against which businesses must always remain on their guard.
However, there are certain precautions that companies can take to ensure that they are enjoying the full benefits of a network connected card printing system while avoiding potential cyber vulnerabilities and pitfalls:
Implement a strong remote device management system
Through a remote device management system, businesses can easily and efficiently monitor not only the state of the card printers throughout their facility, but also printer usage in real time. Levels of consumables, such as secure hologram laminates and blank cards, can be tracked to ensure appropriate use. A remote device management system can also be programmed to automatically notify key personnel if risk-specific activity is taking place so you can stop security breaches before they escalate.
Choose printers with physical locks
Networked printers are not always in line-of-sight the way direct connected printers usually are. Physical locks can help prevent casual tampering or theft of supplies. Limit access only to authorized key operators.
Encrypt sensitive identity data
All data that is needed to produce a secure ID should be encrypted at the host and all the way to the printer. Best practice is to use AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. Choose printers that can processes encrypted data directly.
Do not provide direct access to identity data
User access to secure data should be provided through applications only. This allows the security administrator to limit access to identity data by user authorization level.
Connections to data should be opened only when necessary
Secure connections to identity databases should be opened only when actively accessing the data. Holding connections open longer than necessary creates an unnecessary security risk.
Require web-based certificate authority for all operations that access data
Always have the firewall on and configured to block unauthorized connections
Run virus and spyware screens on all incoming and outgoing data
In addition, keep virus and spyware libraries up to date, which is the easiest step to take to protect your data, yet something that is frequently overlooked.
A quality network connected card printing system is only as strong as the secure network it runs on, so keeping these network protection tips in mind can ensure organisations will reap the benefits of a smart, connected printing system. However, as is with all technologies, they must also remain vigilant and aware of new, emerging threats, as well as the solutions to counter these threats.