Print Security Moves to the Forefront in 2025
In 2025, print environments are more connected and data-driven than ever, which has introduced new vulnerabilities. Print security is no longer just an IT afterthought—it’s a business imperative. Industry research shows that well over half of organizations have suffered a print-related data breach in the past year. For printshop owners and executives, protecting customer data and production workflows has become critical to maintaining trust, meeting compliance obligations, and preventing costly incidents. This article examines the growing focus on print security – from Microsoft’s latest Windows Protected Print initiative to zero-trust models – and outlines practical steps to secure both office and production print workflows.
Windows Protected Print Raises the Bar
Microsoft’s rollout of Windows Protected Print (WPP) in late 2024 (as part of Windows 11) signals a major shift toward secure-by-default printing. WPP is a new print mode that runs the Windows print spooler with lower system privileges and uses driverless IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) to communicate with Mopria-certified printers. By eliminating third-party print drivers, WPP removes a significant attack vector that previously allowed exploits to gain SYSTEM-level control via the print spooler. This platform is described as the biggest change to the Windows print stack in over 20 years, launched in response to serious vulnerabilities like the PrintNightmare driver exploit. WPP exclusively uses modern class drivers and is currently optional (disabled by default until 2027) to give organizations time to adapt. In the long run, however, Microsoft’s WPP push underscores that the era of trusting legacy print drivers is ending – a clear move to harden print systems against malware and breaches.
Zero Trust Extends to Printing
The zero-trust security model – “never trust, always verify” – is increasingly being applied to print infrastructure. No user, device, or job is implicitly trusted. In fact, one recent report found 37% of organizations had conducted formal print security assessments, and 35% had implemented a zero-trust architecture for their printers. Under a zero-trust print approach, every print job must be authenticated and authorized, and printers are treated as untrusted endpoints by default. This minimizes the attack surface and enforces least-privilege access, reducing opportunities for insider misuse or external compromise. Zero-trust printing also means full visibility: all print activity is logged and monitored for anomalies. As remote work and IoT-connected printers proliferate, companies are now expected to extend zero-trust principles to the print environment – for example, ensuring even home-office or networked production printers are not exempt from authentication and security policies. The result is higher assurance that sensitive data isn’t freely flowing to devices or users without verification.
Unsecured Queues, Devices and Workflows – Key Risks
Major risks in print environments underscore why security is a top concern today:
Unsecured print queues and spoolers – Traditional print servers and spooler processes can be a weak link. Print jobs often traverse multiple stages – client to server to printer – unencrypted, exposing data to interception or tampering. A lack of encryption or secure protocols for print data can leak confidential information mid-stream. Moreover, past exploits targeting the Windows print spooler (e.g. PrintNightmare) showed how a vulnerable queue can lead to system-wide compromise. These risks highlight the need to lock down print servers or move to modern protected print platforms.
Networked printers as targets – Today’s printers are smart network devices with their own OS – and if left unpatched or misconfigured, they present inviting targets. In fact, security researchers recently discovered hundreds of printer models (across several major vendors) with new vulnerabilities that could bypass authentication and grant attackers admin-level control of the device. Printers are often “plug-and-forget” devices, so firmware updates get overlooked. An unprotected MFP can be used by attackers to intercept print jobs (which may contain sensitive data stored in device memory) or as a foothold to move laterally into the network. Exposed printer ports or default passwords only compound the danger.
Variable data workflow breaches – Production print shops frequently handle variable data printing (personalized documents like statements, bills, direct mail) which involves large volumes of sensitive customer data. If these data workflows are not secured, the risks are severe. For example, sending print files via unsecured channels (email attachments or unencrypted FTP) can allow unauthorized parties to intercept personal information. Mistakes in data mapping or processing might cause one client’s data to be printed on another’s job, triggering privacy violations. Without proper audit trails and access controls, it’s difficult to detect or trace such breaches. In regulated industries (finance, healthcare, etc.), a data leak or compliance failure in a print run can result in hefty fines and reputational damage.
Production Print and Inkjet Environments: What’s at Stake
These security challenges carry significant implications for production print and high-volume inkjet operations, not just office printers. Commercial print providers and in-plant print centers operate in high-volume, high-speed environments where uptime and data integrity are critical. Yet many still rely on legacy RIPs, print controllers or workflow software that lack modern security patches. This makes some production print shops prime targets for cyberattacks. A single breach in a production environment could expose thousands or millions of customer records in one incident, given the data-rich jobs being handled. The fallout from such an event goes beyond IT damage – it can halt production (missing client deadlines), violate data protection laws, and shatter client trust. In fact, a recent industry study found 59% of organizations had a print-related data breach in the past year, and for print providers handling confidential customer files, the consequences include lost business, compliance violations, and reputational harm. Print executives are recognizing that robust security isn’t optional if they want to protect their business and customers. Growing client expectations (often driven by zero-trust mandates and supply chain security requirements) mean production print operations must demonstrate strong security hygiene just as any other critical IT service would.
Practical Steps to Secure Print Workflows
Fortunately, there are actionable steps print organizations can take to bolster security across their workflows:
Enable secure print release: Implement pull printing or badge-release systems that require user authentication at the printer before a job is released. This ensures confidential documents don’t pile up on output trays unattended, and that only the intended recipient can retrieve the printout.
Encrypt data in transit (and at rest): Use secure transport for print jobs and data files. For example, enable IPPS (IPP over TLS) for network printing and use SFTP or VPN tunnels when sending print files between clients, servers, and presses. Encrypt spool files or RIP data at rest when possible. Encryption thwarts eavesdropping on print data paths, protecting sensitive customer information through the workflow.
Keep devices and software updated: Regularly apply firmware updates and security patches to all networked printers, print servers, and print workflow software. Establish a maintenance schedule so that known printer vulnerabilities are remediated promptly rather than left exploitable. If a device or software platform can no longer be updated (end-of-life or legacy system), consider segmenting it or phasing it out to avoid a security gap.
Segment and monitor print devices: Treat printers and print controllers as you would other IoT endpoints in a zero-trust network. Isolate them on dedicated subnets or VLANs, and block direct internet access from these devices. Use network monitoring or endpoint management tools to watch printer traffic for anomalies (e.g. large data exfiltration or connections from unusual sources). Restrict administrative access to printers with strong credentials or integration into directory services, and disable any unused services or open ports on the devices.
Audit and train: Maintain detailed logs of print jobs, user access, and configuration changes. Robust audit trails are invaluable for forensic analysis and demonstrating compliance. Periodically review these logs for suspicious activity. Additionally, train staff on print security best practices – from handling sensitive documents properly to recognizing social engineering attempts (like fake “toner replacement” scams or phishing emails that target print servers). Building a security-aware culture ensures that human error doesn’t undermine the technical safeguards.
By taking these steps, printshops can greatly reduce their risk profile. Securing print workflows – whether in the office or on the production floor – ultimately protects the business’s reputation, keeps client data safe, and ensures continuity of operations. In an era of rising cyber threats, a proactive print security strategy is fast becoming as fundamental as quality control or on-time delivery in the print industry. A combination of new technologies (like WPP and cloud-based print management), aligned with zero-trust principles and good security hygiene, will help print providers stay ahead of attackers and maintain the confidence of their customers.
Sources
Y Soft SAFEQ Blog – “The Future of Print Security: 8 Cyber Security Trends for 2025-2030.” Insightful overview of print security trends (secure-by-default, zero-trust, etc.) and the introduction of Windows Protected Print ysoft.comysoft.com, citing Quocirca’s findings on declining confidence and zero-trust adoption in print environments ysoft.comysoft.com.
PaperCut – “Complete Guide to Windows Protected Print Mode (WPP).” Comprehensive guide explaining WPP’s design and impact. Describes how WPP runs with lower privileges and uses IPP to eliminate third-party drivers, closing vulnerabilities that allowed system-level exploits papercut.com. Also covers Microsoft’s rationale (e.g. 9% of Windows security issues were print-related) and timeline for WPP rollout.
Lexmark Support – Microsoft Windows Protected Print Mode (2025). Vendor briefing on Microsoft’s print policy changes. Confirms that WPP (introduced with Windows 11 24H2) forces use of IPP class drivers and blocks legacy v3/v4 drivers for enhanced security support.lexmark.com. Notes that WPP is disabled by default until 2027, giving organizations time to prepare for this significant transition.
Quocirca Print Security Landscape 2024 (Executive Summary). Industry research report on print security. Highlights that 67% of organizations experienced data losses due to unsecure printing practices in the past year quocirca.com, and that the average cost of a print-related data breach now exceeds £1 million. Also reveals only 20% of organizations qualify as “leaders” in print security (having implemented 6+ measures), underscoring a maturity gap.
Kodak Print Blog – “Why security in the print industry matters now more than ever” (Sept 2025). Discusses evolving threat landscape for print. Cites Quocirca data that 59% of organizations had a print-related breach kodak.com. Emphasizes risks in print production workflows: legacy software, unencrypted file transfers, weak access controls kodak.com. Stresses that print security is now a business imperative to avoid lost business and compliance violations kodak.com.
Security Magazine – “Millions of Printers Exposed to Hacking…” (June 2025). Reports on Rapid7 research uncovering new vulnerabilities in 748 printer models across several manufacturers securitymagazine.com. Describes how an authentication bypass flaw could yield a device’s admin password, and includes expert commentary warning that unpatched printers can enable lateral network attacks and data theft if left accessible securitymagazine.com.
Graphcom Blog – “Recognize and Avoid Variable Data Security Risks” (Aug 2025). Focuses on compliance risks in personalized print workflows. Explains how sending variable print data via unsecured channels (email, FTP) can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive information (e.g. PHI) and hefty HIPAA fines graphcom.com. Recommends measures like secure file transfer, rigorous data mapping QA, and audit trails to prevent data leaks and prove compliance graphcom.com.