The Cybersecurity It is not something that concerns computers and mobiles, which is where attention is usually focused, but to any device connected to the Internet. The calls IoT (Acronym for Internet of Things, or Internet of Things) are devices for specific tasks, connected to a network, either by Wifi, Bluetooth or mobile network, and that are usually more unprotected than the previous ones. The cybersecurity engineer Natalia Sánchez He has spoken, during an intervention in the Pódcast ‘Clau, I want to be an engineer’, about What is the easiest device to hack, and your answer is a IoT essential in any office and usual in homes.
‘What is easier, always, but because people do not update it, They are the printers’Sánchez explains in a viral clip that already has more than 2 million views. ‘Everyone cares about, no, no, the server! Oh, no, the teams that workers use! But The printer does not do anyone or case. And everyone, in almost all companies, has a printer that normally connects, in addition, by wifi … then, It is the ideal point to enter and hack it‘, he adds.
@clau_qsi ☠️ To update the printers! Let us hack us! #CLAUQUEROSERINGENERA#STEM#ENGINEERS🌍💚#Women Ingenenieras#Telematica#Engineering#Haker#Printer#Hackers#Update ♬ Original Sound – CLAU
When talking about IoT device, security cameras, vacuum robots, smart thermostats, smart TV, washing machines, refrigerators, smart bulbs … if we talk about the domestic sphere. Because many of these devices have limited operating systems, receive few updates and are massively deployed without adequate securityThey are usually easy white for computer attacks, as in the case of Botnets.
Why a printer is an IoT device
Printers, which have been with us much longer than any of the above, do not usually be considered so, but They meet IoT devices characteristics:
- It has a specific function, it is not general purpose.
- It is connected to the Internet or a local network, which allows you to receive print jobs from other devices.
- Process and transmit data, such as documents sent to print, scan or copy.
- Some advanced models can communicate with cloud services, send emails, receive OTA (Over the Air) updates, or integrate with document management systems.
- It has embedded firmware and software (sometimes a complete operating system) that requires maintenance and updates.
What does a vulnerable printer
If printers are one of the most vulnerable devices that can be connected to a network is for several reasons:
- Lack of updates: Many users (both individuals and companies) do not install security updates for their printers, which leaves known vulnerabilities known for years.
- Default settings: Printers are often left with default passwords, open ports or active unnecessary services.
- Wide attack surface: Modern printers are connected to the network, allow remote access, store printing in memory and in some cases they even contain hard drives with sensitive documents.
- Low risk perception: They are not usually considered an important attack vector, so they are neglected in corporate security plans.
All these factors cause are among the most unprotectedespecially in corporate environments that do not have strict peripheral hardware management policies, and that an attacker can use them as a point of entry to the network and jump from there to other devices.