Xerox Protects Copiers
Recent newsletters have addressed employee schemes to steal customer or confidential data. I haven’t touched on a very low tech manner of theft, where the employee simply copies the information on the office copier and walks out the door. This was how an administrative assistant at Coca-Cola was able to pilfer a secret formula that was later offered to rival Pepsi.
Xerox, one of the larger players in the copier, scanner, and fax world, announced it has implemented many security measures. The first enables the person who is making a copy to destroy data temporarily stored on a hard disk while the copying process continues. Thus, confidential information is rendered useless should an unauthorized person try to copy the machine’s memory.
A second feature, dubbed Internal Auditron, limits access to certain types of functions a client can use at the copier. For example, employee A may be allowed to fax documents under 5 pages twice a week, while employee B may not be able to fax at all, but is allowed copying access for 20 page documents that automatically shred after the task is completed. If an employee has a legitimate need for increased usage they must be granted permission from the administrator.
Since most Xerox machines are network enabled, a username and password may be required, and usage by each employee reported and monitored. Many of the machines have capability to log in at the copier for added convenience.
Xerox is also touting removable hard drives so employees can keep information in their possession throughout the copying process then removing the hard drive and storing it in a secure location (locked cabinet). PINs can be required before the machine can be used may be effective as well.
Even though we don’t often think of a copier as a tool for information theft, it is good to know the manufacturers are making product improvements with increased security measures.
Xerox, one of the larger players in the copier, scanner, and fax world, announced it has implemented many security measures. The first enables the person who is making a copy to destroy data temporarily stored on a hard disk while the copying process continues. Thus, confidential information is rendered useless should an unauthorized person try to copy the machine’s memory.
A second feature, dubbed Internal Auditron, limits access to certain types of functions a client can use at the copier. For example, employee A may be allowed to fax documents under 5 pages twice a week, while employee B may not be able to fax at all, but is allowed copying access for 20 page documents that automatically shred after the task is completed. If an employee has a legitimate need for increased usage they must be granted permission from the administrator.
Since most Xerox machines are network enabled, a username and password may be required, and usage by each employee reported and monitored. Many of the machines have capability to log in at the copier for added convenience.
Xerox is also touting removable hard drives so employees can keep information in their possession throughout the copying process then removing the hard drive and storing it in a secure location (locked cabinet). PINs can be required before the machine can be used may be effective as well.
Even though we don’t often think of a copier as a tool for information theft, it is good to know the manufacturers are making product improvements with increased security measures.
posted by skgroner | 9:34 AM
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