HP Innovation Journal Special Edition: Security | Page 26
R E I N V E N T I N G G O -TO - M A R K E T
The number and sophistication of cyberattacks is set
to rise again this year. Successful hacks are causing
lasting damage to privacy, trust and corporate repu-
tation—three prerequisites of connected commerce.
There are several reasons for this escalation in cyber-
crime. Firstly, as more data is digitized, it becomes more
susceptible to hacking. The expanding ecosystem of
connected devices has increased the number of access
points to this data and into networks. Finally, and most
maliciously, cybercriminals of various motivations are
inventing new ways and tools to expose private and sen-
sitive information.
Many cybercriminals have turned their attention
to “endpoints”—connected devices at the periphery of a
network, like printers, laptops, and phones. They house
valuable data and their usage and portability make them
vulnerable to external threats, often yo-yoing in and out
of the protection of corporate firewalls.
As depicted by our excellent miniseries The Wolf
and The Fixer, networked printers have become a
particularly popular target for endpoint attacks. Data
thieves have learned to bypass network security con-
trols and copy sensitive documents straight from a
printer’s memory, revealing closely-guarded corpo-
rate secrets.
Endpoint security has already become a critical
battleground in the fight for privacy. The Ponemon
Institute’s 2017 State of Endpoint Security Risk report
stated 69% of organizations believe the endpoint secu-
rity risk has significantly increased.
In this escalating war between those protecting
privacy and those wishing to profit from its demise,
I am proud to say HP is taking a leading role. We are
developing transformative digital technologies provid-
ing safeguards against data intrusions. HP is fighting
back against cyber thieves on three fronts:
1. Endpoint Security
When we think of hacking, we often imagine quick-
ly-typed code, supercharged computer towers and
ominous aliases. But that’s only part of the story. End-
points are susceptible to a variety of threats. For example,
“visual hacks” require only for a third party to read secret
information over an employee’s shoulder.
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The solution is Endpoint Security: a range of cutting-edge
defenses built for, and into, the endpoint device itself.
Without interfering in a device’s normal functionality,
endpoint security software protects vital functions from
malicious interference, authenticates software loaded
onto the device and vigilantly monitors for external
attacks. Further precautions, like screen shields and
print queue management, negate other vulnerabilities.
2. Device-as-a-Service (DaaS)
In appreciation of worsening cybersecurity threats, DaaS
providers like HP are making cybersecurity protection
a core part of their offering. There are many benefits to
the DaaS model, in which companies lease productivity
hardware from a specialist device provider. It ensures
faster device upgrade cycles for hardware and software,
meaning office hardware is equipped with the latest
cybersecurity defenses.
By allowing standardization across device fleets,
DaaS also helps companies better manage their IT
environment. DaaS solutions allow IT leaders to mon-
itor an entire fleet of devices, empowering them to spot
and address anomalous activity and ultimately thwart
emerging cyberattacks.
3. Managed Print Services (MPS)
In a Managed Print Services arrangement, a company’s
print operations are managed by an external provider.
Armed with print-specific expertise, MPS providers such
as HP are best suited to protect a company’s print fleet
from cyberattacks.
Today, with the help of expert cloud analytics partners,
HP has transformed the MPS value proposition from that
of a basic service to a strategic business tool. Companies
can now gain powerful insights into print costs, printing
behaviors, and printer utilization to drive efficiencies and
streamline business processes to enhance productivity.
The threats posed by cyberattacks are worsening,
but HP is rising to the challenge by building technol-
ogies and solutions ready to tackle and repel the next
wave of cyber threats.
For more insight on HP’s endpoint security strategy, read ‘Innovating
in Endpoint Security: Cyber Resilence at the Enterprise Edge,’ pg. 4.