May 15, 2018
COPY THAT.
Identity Theft Costs Us $17B Every Year.
But while we’re all focused on cybercriminals… maybe we should remember that
relic in the office – the copy machine.
FLIP FOR WHY
Copy Machines Have Hard Drives, Too.
Since 2002, every copier contains a hard drive – like your computer’s – storing an image of every document copied, scanned, or emailed.
In 2010, CBS investigation found copiers for sale for $300, which it called a “pot of gold” for identity thieves.
- Since CBS’s report in 2010, the industry stepped up security with hard drive encryption & automatic file scrubbing.
- However, aA 2015 Ponemon survey showed only 38% of respondents were confident printer data was wiped before disposal or refurbishment.
- This *despite* federal & some state laws requiring it.
Just last year, HP hired Christian Slater for a short series called ‘The Wolf’ to illustrate how insecure office copiers/printers can be. Watch that here:
- FTC on digital copier data safety:A https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/digital-copier-data-security-guide-businesses
- Insurance Institute: Identity Theft Facts & Statistics:A https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-identity-theft-and-cybercrime
- WATCH: CBS News Investigation: Digital Photocopiers Loaded with Secrets: (From 2010)https://www.cbsnews.com/news/digital-photocopiers-loaded-with-secrets/
- WATCH: HP’s The Wolf, featuring Christian Bale:A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3QXMMV-Srs
by Jenna Lee,
