By: Adhirath Kapoor
July 17, 2020
"Intermediate Printing Security" Course Summary
By: Adhirath Kapoor
July 17, 2020
Cybersecurity Engineers all over the world are trying hard to secure critical IT Infrastructures. From computers to networks, Cyber Rangers are on a quest to harden their security. Despite all the attempts, the malicious actors of technology can trespass and are wreaking havoc in cyberspace. Why? Because some of the devices inside the networks are still not secure and are being used as backdoors to gain insider access. Printers are one of them. Yes, you read it right. PRINTERS!
Printers and similar devices have never really been given importance when it comes to Cyber Security. Until recently, many reports have surfaced on the Internet, where hackers gained remote access to printers just to create security awareness among the users.
Personal printers might not yield a lot of information for hackers, but printers inside a business-based environment can leak sensitive data or even cause physical damage.
Intermediate Printing Security is a course on Cybrary, by Milan Cetic, that walks you through the dangers of having insecure printers inside critical networks, and how to secure them.
Who is this course designed for?
This course is designed for:
- IT Professionals,
- IT Managers,
- IT Security Specialists,
- IT Security Managers and
- Cybersecurity Enthusiasts
Why should you take this course?
This 3-hour course is one of its kind, earns you 3 CEUs/CPEs, and will help you secure one of the most neglected and vulnerable endpoints in server-based environments. Each submodule in the course ends with a quiz to test your knowledge of what has been taught.
How many learning modules are in this Course?
The course consists of 5 learning modules with the last one reserved for the labs so that after completion of this course, you can implement what you have learned in a real environment.
Syllabus And Outline
Module 1 - Introduction As the title indicates, this module gives a brief introduction of what will be taught in the whole course.
Module 2 - Printing Device Essentials This module kickstarts by imparting the necessary knowledge on the architecture of a Printing device. The instructor also sheds light on how printing devices pose a risk in server-based environments. You then get to understand the damage that a printing device can cause if compromised by an attacker. The instructor proceeds to compare and contrast two different types of printers used in a company network. Each of the two is susceptible to different types of attacks. The severity of attacks depends on the type deployed inside an environment.
Module 3 - Page Definition Languages In this module, the instructor touches base on the Network Printer and then explains server-based printing concepts in different company environments. Depending on the size of the environment, the printing process and authentication mechanisms can differ. Subsequently, Printing Languages and their evolution timelines are discussed. Languages are then explained with their significance in the server-based environments. The later submodules describe how languages and code can be exploited to perform malicious activities, ranging from sniffing to installing third-party software.
Module 4 - Defense After imparting all the necessary knowledge needed to understand how printing devices work, and what languages are used, in the previous modules, this module tackles security issues that arise in the case of printers. First, the attack vectors for printing devices are analyzed. To combat the threats, the instructor describes the best security practices for printers and then presents the protection methods against the most common printer attacks in a lucid manner.
Module 5 - Labs This is the last module of the course and consists of two labs. The lab walkthroughs coherently translate the theoretical knowledge obtained through all previous modules into a practical one.
The outcome of the Course
After taking this course, you will be able to:
- Explain the architecture of a Printing device.
- Choose the correct type of printer for your Office Network.
- Perform the best Security Practices for Printing devices in an environment.
- Mitigate the commonly known attacks for printing devices.
- Work with the Web Server to enhance the security of printing devices.
- Manage devices centrally with vendor-specific software.
References
