Zero Trust Starts at the Printer — Not Just the Network

But today, some of the biggest security blind spots are hiding in plain sight — inside everyday printers, MFPs, and document workflows your teams touch all day long. 

If you’re only securing your network and endpoints, you’re already exposed.

Why Printers Still Slip Outside the Zero Trust Perimeter

Printers look harmless — and cybercriminals count on that. 

Modern devices are essentially networked computers with hard drives, cached data, open ports, address books, and direct access to your most confidential information. 

That makes them a perfect target for: 

• Unauthorized access to print queues and stored jobs 

• Compromised firmware or outdated authentication standards 

• Internal misuse — not just external threats 

• Regulatory exposure (HIPAA, FERPA, CJIS, GDPR, etc.) 

• Untracked data traveling through unmanaged workflows 

If Zero Trust means “never trust, always verify” — why do printers still print anything from anyone on the network? 

Zero Trust for Print & Document Workflows Looks Like This

A modern, real Zero Trust approach should extend across the full document lifecycle — not just the login screen. 

It includes: 

• User authentication & role-based print access: If HR shouldn’t see accounting reports, they shouldn’t even be able to release them. 

• Secure follow-me / badge release printing: No more documents abandoned on output trays. 

• Encrypted data in transit AND at rest — all the way to archival 

• Automated document routing with access rules built in: Not manually dragging files to unknown folders. 

• Audit trails for every touch — print, scan, send, store, retrieve. So when compliance auditors ask, “who printed that file?” — you have the answer.

The Good News: This Isn’t About Buying More IT Tools

This is about closing a security and compliance gap that most businesses don’t even realize is open. 

SumnerOne helps organizations extend Zero Trust to print, scan, document routing, and digital workflows — with strategies designed for: 

• Corporate, legal, healthcare, education, finance, government, SMB 

• Modern compliance frameworks, including HIPAA, CJIS, SOX, FERPA, GDPR, PCI 

• Hybrid work, distributed teams, remote approvals, secure automation 

Because if a document can leave your network without identity verification, logging, or access control — your Zero Trust strategy isn’t actually Zero Trust.

Protect the Document Trail — Not Just the Network

SumnerOne helps unify IT, print, and process strategy into one intelligent security posture — where every document is verified, protected, and traceable. 

Are printers and workflows the weakest link in your Zero Trust efforts? Let’s find out together — before someone else does. Contact us today for an assessment.