HP Inc. released The Workflow Wakeup Report, examining how everyday technologies, including printers, can help small businesses strengthen security and better prepare for the future of work.
Despite growing concern among enterprise IT leaders, print security remains one of the most overlooked weaknesses in SMB cyber defenses. According to HP’s Workflow Wakeup report, a new global study of 800 IT decision-makers and 2,400 knowledge workers found that 57% of SMBs say print security is a low priority in their cybersecurity strategies.
The findings come as print-related risk continues to rise. Separate research from Quocirca showed that 56% of SMBs have reported at least one print-related loss of data in the past year, underscoring how easily this “assumed safe” part of the IT estate can become an exposure point.
Key findings from HP’s SMB study include:
- Policies don’t work or are bypassed: Over half (55%) of SMBs see users trying to bypass print rules or restrictions, while 60% worry existing document processes could lead to a data or privacy issue. A further 50% lack visibility into who prints what and where, while 45% are unsure if print security meets industry compliance standards.
- Print security assumed: 66% of knowledge workers assume printers on the office network are secure, while 50% don’t think of printers as a security threat. However, 37% do worry about printing confidential information and the wrong person finding it.
Despite low prioritization, 69% of SMBs acknowledge print security needs improvement, and 65% frequently worry about the security risks outdated systems pose. Their top five printer security concerns include:
- Cybersecurity risks linked to connected printers
- Confidential documents being left at the printer
- Cloud vulnerabilities related to scanned documents
- Unauthorized access to print files or queues
- Misprinting, misfiling, or mishandling materials
The data also suggests these risks are addressable when organizations put the right controls in place. Of SMBs that have adopted smart printing technology, 88% say that smart printing has made their organization more secure. Respondents cite three key reasons: providing clearer visibility into printing and scanning activity across users and locations (89%), meeting compliance and security standards (86%), and enforcing smart rules and restrictions more effectively (85%).
Aurelio Maruggi, Division President of HP Office Print Solutions comments: “Printers are the security blind spot many SMBs overlook, and that’s a real risk to the Future of Work. If you can’t see who printed what, where and when, it’s hard to protect sensitive data. A single misdirected scan or uncollected print job can leak payroll data, customer records, or contract details, all without any obvious sign that something is wrong. Smart printing fixes this by building visibility, policy enforcement and audit trails into print and scan workflows.”
Read The Workflow Wakeup Report to learn more here.
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About the Data
The data is based on a sample of 800 IT Decision Makers and 2,400 knowledge workers who work for small and medium businesses (SMBs) with 50 to 1,000 employees in the US, UK, India and Germany. It was conducted online by Edelman from August 5 to August 27, 2025.
