Why is my printer printing pages during a vulnerability scan?

Printer manufacturers design printers with new features to make it easier for users to print. However, a common occurrence when scanning printers during a vulnerability scan is the printing of pages full of random characters due to these printing features being insecure. While this is a known issue with vulnerability scanning in general, there are steps you can take to try to resolve this issue.

If you are experiencing pages printing during vulnerability scanning, use the following guidance to attempt to resolve the issue.

1. First, try updating the firmware for the printer devices. Printer manufacturers include security enhancements in their firmware updates which may prevent pages from being printed during a vulnerability scan. Refer to your printer’s manufacturer instructions on updating the firmware. If this update does not resolve the issue, continue to step 2.
   
   
2. Disable unnecessary printing features that you do not use, such as allowing printing from phones and cloud printing. Refer to your printer’s manufacturer instructions on enabling and disabling printer features.
   
   
3. Consider using features such as secure printing or printer authentication. Utilizing these features will prevent unwanted print jobs from occurring. Refer to your printer’s manufacturer instructions for more information on authentication and secure printing features.
   
   
4. If these recommendations do not resolve printing during vulnerability scans, submit a ticket to Alert Logic Support for assistance or call our 24/7 support line at 877-484-8383. Please be prepared to provide the following information to expedite your inquiry:
   - Printer make and model
   - Date and time the issue began
   - IP address and host name of affected printer(s)

Note: If you are experiencing a severe disruption in printer services due to vulnerability scanning, you can exclude the printer from being scanned as a temporary measure until Alert Logic can investigate the issue. For more information on scan exclusions, refer to our Manage Scan Schedules documentation.