With more than 10 billion devices now connected to the Internet – up from a mere 200 million in the year 2000 – projected to exceed 50 billion “things” by 2020 as the Internet of Things transitions to the “Internet of Everything,” cyber-security challenges are increasing exponentially.
For those who commit fully, the benefits of the Internet of Things far outweigh the costs. But all those positives carry with them a few negatives, some of which are represented by potential cyber vulnerabilities of connected devices, including card printers. Zebra Technologies’ recent article, Stay Connected while Staying Safe: How to Avoid Cyber Vulnerabilities on Network Connected Card Printers, written by David Coons, Vice President of Engineering for Zebra, offers eight straightforward solutions to cyber-security concerns for connected card printers.
1. Strong Remote Device-Management System: Implement remote device-management systems to allow monitoring of real-time usage and to trigger automatic notification of risky activity.
2. Physical Locks: Limit card-printer access to authorized operators via physical locks to prevent tampering and discourage theft of card stock.
3. Data Encryption: Select printers that can directly process encrypted data, and encrypt data at the host.
4. Block Direct Access to Identity Data: Allow access to secure data via applications only.
5. Open Data Connections Only When Necessary: Leave data connections open only as long as it takes to actively access required data.
6. Require Web-Based Certificates: Institute web-based certificates of authority for any operation that accesses data.
7. Firewall On: Ensure that firewall protection is always on and configured to block all unauthorized connections.
8. Virus and Spyware Screening: Maintain up-to-date virus and spyware libraries and run screening utilities regularly.
Few IoT applications are more sensitive than those related to identification, access, licenses, registrations and memberships – you know, the things ID cards are printed to facilitate – such security-sensitive applications as government-issued drivers’ licenses, voter registration cards, and instant-issue credit and banking cards, where blank card stock can be as attractive to theft as are the sensitive personal and enterprise data they represent.
Zebra’s high-security ZXP Series 8 card-printer line enhances physical security by incorporating preloaded laminator modules, tramper-evident transfer films, lockable enclosures and card feeders, and Kensington locks. Zebra matches these physical measures with advanced software technology that not only enables efficient printing in high-demand environments, but facilitates seamless integration with enterprise security protocols via Windows-certified drivers and its advanced Software Development Kit (SDK). The Zebra toolbox application features a comprehensive management console for delivery of advanced driver and printer configuration, including “user role-based” driver password protection.
As the IoT grows by 80 new “things” per second, increasing to 100 per second in 2014, each of which represents a new cyber-security challenge, maximize your enterprise IoT benefit and minimize its cyber-security vulnerability by following these eight simple measures … and by deploying Zebra’s best-in-class high-security card printers.
For more information about Zebra Technologies, please visit our website or call our toll free number at 1-800-830-9523.