The identity thief in your office

[Ivan Seeking]

A lot has been said about the importance of safeguarding computers and using strong passwords and good encryption and firewall software in order to protect yourself from identity theft. But few people realize that there is another electronic device in their offices that could pose just as much risk. And this machine is significantly less guarded. What is it? The photocopier. Because a high volume of documented identity theft cases begin in the office, it’s important that you constantly remain on guard against identity fraud.

Your office copier (or even worse, the copier at the local copy center down the street) just might be the weakest link when it comes to identity theft protection. Think for just a moment about all of the documents you photocopy (or someone else photocopies on your behalf). Medical records, tax returns, birth certificates, student records, marriage licenses, driver’s licenses, social security cards, etc…Office expense reports with photocopies of credit card receipts can even put you at risk if you aren’t careful. If the wrong person got his or her hands on the information you copy, it could lead to credit card theft, bank fraud and identity theft as a whole.

How Copiers Put You at Risk

Many copiers that were made in the last five to seven years contain hard drives that record the information that has been copied. These files are stored unencrypted until the hard drive becomes full and old files are overwritten. But, some experts claim, many files may never be overwritten. Since photocopiers use a modem, many of them are connected to the office network and many companies don’t use passwords to protect their copiers. Or, if they do, the passwords are generic or easy for someone to guess or get a hold of...

http://www.identitytheft.com/article/are_photocopiers_a_risk

 

[Antiphon]

I guess you should encrypt your files prior to photocopying them.

Seriously, you should assume that anything you do on an electronic device including voice calls is being or could be monitored by anyone. Don't copy your tax returns at work. Don't print ransome notes at Kinkos. Don't phone the bank and tell them to have the money ready in ten minutes because you'll be coming by to rob it. In each case you could regret it.

 

[lisab]

Wow, this is really surprising and scary!

 

[Evo]

Yeah, the copiers retain the files, everyone knows that, or should. People have been fired for things they copied or printed. I don't use the work printer for anything but work. Everything else is done on my home printer, from my home computer.

I've actually found resumes being sent to competitors on work printers.

 

[DaveC426913]

I guess you should encrypt your files prior to photocopying them.

Seriously, you should assume that anything you do on an electronic device ... is being or could be monitored by anyone.

I am a little confused by terminology here (in this discussion).

A network printer is what one sends one's electronic files to.
A photocopier is what one uses to make copies of original hardcopies.

Until this point, I had always assumed a photocopier was, at least by default, a stand-alone device.

 

[Evo]

I am a little confused by terminology here (in this discussion).

A network printer is what one sends one's electronic files to.
A photocopier is what one uses to make copies of original hardcopies.

Until this point, I had always assumed a photocopier was, at least by default, a stand-alone device.

Photocopiers can scan the image and keep a copy. Depends on how sophisticated the machine is.

 

[Proton Soup]

multifunction machines are the norm now, even for home copiers. in one machine, you typically get a scanner, printer, and sometimes fax machine. the "copier" is basically just printing the image the digital scanner sees.

 

[GeorginaS]

I am a little confused by terminology here (in this discussion).

A network printer is what one sends one's electronic files to.
A photocopier is what one uses to make copies of original hardcopies.

Until this point, I had always assumed a photocopier was, at least by default, a stand-alone device.

There are multifunctional photocopiers that are set up with an office network and they print, scan, photocopy, etc. They're full-sized photocopier-type machines.

 

[mgb_phys]

Even regular large photocopies (the kinko type) have hard drives.
It's the only way they can print multiple collated copies.

Most makers claim that the drive is wiped after each job (it's the only way they can sell to government/military/financial) and in a busy copy place it would be overwritten by other work very quickly.