All educational establishments handle a vast amount of confidential data such as student details and test results. This data can be held for a considerable length of time even after the student has left, so it is important that the devices which they are stored on are secure.
With the evolution of technology, it is essential that educational establishments are adapting alongside this to avoid the threat of attacks. The rising awareness and focus on GDPR is another core reason that schools, colleges and universities should remain vigilant about their device security. However, a 2018 study found that schools and universities are still leaving themselves vulnerable to attacks, with 57% thinking that they don’t have a security solution in place.
There are a variety of ways to make sure that these establishments are taking the correct security measures. To begin, the governing bodies can simply change staff attitudes so that printer security is held at the same level as computers. This can be achieved through effective communication, implementing policies and providing training and awareness to employees.
Ensuring that the printer hard drive is encrypted is an effective way to prevent any risk of cyber-attacks. Hard drives store all information relating to the documents and having these encrypted will provide additional protection to prevent any data being accessed or stolen. Once documents are printed, security can be increased by erasing traces of them entirely.
To make sure sensitive documents are not misplaced, discarded or left unattended, ‘pull printing’ can ensure that print jobs are held on the server until they are released by the correct handler. This can be supported by all devices in the establishment having authentication requirements such as ID and pic cards.
To have ultimate security across a large fleet, the print infrastructure must be managed effectively. Consistent monitoring will allow the governing bodies to be aware when policies aren’t being followed and if any suspicious printing activity occurs. As the data which schools, colleges and university handle can be sensitive in nature, Apogee can offer a Managed Print Service to ensure that all documents remain confidential and GDPR compliant. Contact us today by completing the form below.
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