HP, Fuji Xerox and Ricoh back initiative for printer security standards

HP, Fuji Xerox and Ricoh have joined business-to-business product information provider Keypoint Intelligence-Buyers Lab's Security Validation Testing program for multi-function printers (MFPs) and printers, committing to stronger industry standards for printer security.

The program is focused on establishing industry standard benchmarks on printers and MFPs by analysing device penetration, policy compliance and firmware resilience. 

HP, Fuji Xerox and Ricoh are the first participants in the program, with all three passing the device penetration test, according to Randy Dazo, Keypoint Intelligence president and CEO. 

“We are thrilled that HP, Fuji Xerox, and Ricoh supported us in our initial round of testing, and just as thrilled to report that their platforms met the stringent criteria put forward in our Device Penetration test protocol,” Dazo said. “These actions are a testament to those companies’ commitment to product security and desire to raise the bar for the entire industry.” 

As per the Keypoint Intelligence-Buyers Lab website, two HP firmware platforms and one Fuji Xerox firmware platform have been verified as secure – HP FutureSmart Enterprise Firmware v4 and Fuji Xerox ApeosPort-VII Firmware Platform v20 for device penetration and HP JetAdvantage Security Manager v3 for policy compliance. 

Device testing is conducted by Keypoint Intelligence-Buyers Lab along with “accredited security testing firms,” the business-to-business product information provider claimed. 

In addition to HP’s passing of the device penetration test, it is currently the only original equipment manufacturer to pass the second test for policy compliance. 

Tuan Tran, president of HP’s imaging, printing and solutions business, said he believes more should be done to mitigate security risks. 

“Our decision to engage in this testing program is driven by our desire to help raise the bar for the entire industry,” said Tran. “This is an important step in driving more stringent industry standards for IoT devices, like printers, and pushing our industry to a higher standard. We encourage all our industry counterparts to join in this effort.” 

Steven Burger, head of engineering and vice president of portfolio management at Ricoh, said when he heard about the program, “there was no question” about whether Ricoh would be involved. 

"It's another example of how we're committed to protecting and securing our customers' data within our devices, and it's critical we continue to test our technology to protect customers from a continually growing list of threats in our increasingly connected world," Burger said.