Lexmark C4342 Security White Paper - Page 41

Secure Data 41 Secure Data Lexmark has defined mechanisms and processes to protect the data on permanent memory devices and allow the secure permanent removal of data when it is no longer required. To meet today's complex printing requirements, Lexmark devices are equipped with nonvolatile memory to store essential system information when the devices are turned off. Some Lexmark devices can also be equipped with a hard disk to buffer jobs or collate large jobs, or store forms, fonts, or macros. To run some printing applications or printer software solutions, a hard disk is required. The use of nonvolatile memory and hard disks is an industry-standard method for enhancing the performance of print and imaging devices. Hard disks on Lexmark devices are designed for device-specific functionality and are not designed, nor can be used, as long-term storage for items unrelated to printing and scanning. The basic architecture of these devices does not have the capability for users to extract information, create folders, share the hard disk, and create a network file share or FTP information to the device's hard disk directly from a client device. The device hard disk is primarily designed to store print or image data, font data, forms data, macros, and, in some cases, job data. In addition, Lexmark uses hard disks for temporarily buffering the scanning, faxing, and copying of data. In general, print-related data is processed in RAM unless the job exceeds the amount of RAM on the device or if you select the Confidential Print or Print and Hold feature, which is enabled through the printer driver. These devices feature controls that help secure data when it is stored or passed through the hard disk. Plus, they block malicious users from gaining physical access to the hard disk. Hard Disk Encryption Overview A common concern for networked devices is that data is exposed to remove access. For example, what if a system has appropriate protections for data while it is in use but not when the data is idle? Does unused data remain on a system, and if so, is it less protected than it should be? Lexmark devices use hard disk drives for a variety of purposes, including buffering scanned data during the course of copy jobs and buffering print data during print jobs. It is important to ensure that the buffered data is well protected so no one can access potentially sensitive information contained in image scans or print jobs that the device receives. Lexmark devices can encrypt all data on hard disks to protect it from external access at all times. When this feature is enabled, all data written to a hard disk is encrypted. This protects not only residual data that remains after printing jobs, but it also protects data actively being used. This prohibits someone from turning off the device in the middle of a job and making use of the data left on the disk. Benefits • Increased security of active and residual data • No delay for cleanup or post-processing after jobs are finished because hardware-assisted encryption is applied in real time • The encrypted data is device specific and is not transportable