Printers are now more advanced than they were in the sense that you can now print wirelessly. Through Wi-Fi, you can send the file through the device for it to do its job, which means that the printer will keep certain Wi-Fi settings. That can spell trouble when your printer is acquired by someone else.
Wipe Your Wi-Fi Data from Your Printer
When you factory reset a device, you would naturally assume that it would return to its state when you first bought it in terms of software. However, that's not the case with certain Canon printer models, so you have to make sure you wiped it properly before discarding or selling it.
Canon officially wrote that "sensitive information on the Wi-Fi connection settings stores in the memories of inkjet printers may not be deleted by the usual initialization process," and that manual wiping should be done if the printer is handed to a third-party for lending, repairing, and other matters.
When the printer is connected to the Wi-Fi, the users will provide data such as the SSID name, the password to avoid unauthorized access, and even other information like the Wi-Fi's network type, the local network IP address, and network profile, as mentioned in Ars Technica.
According to the advisory posted by the company, around 200 models are affected. If you plan on selling your printer, lending it to someone else, or having it repaired, it's best to check the list and wipe your sensitive data first.
To do that, head to Reset Settings and click on Reset All. Then, enable the wireless LAN and reset all your settings again just for good measure. Through this, you'll get rid of the Wi-Fi data you don't want people to get their hands on.
Read Also : 5 Signs That Your Router Has Been Hacked
Trouble With Having Your Wi-Fi Data Stolen
Having your Wi-Fi data stolen is not just about someone else getting your password and connecting to your network. People who know their way around technology can do a lot more damage than just freeloading on your network.
Through your router, threat actors will be able to spy on your Wi-Fi connection, which leads to them discovering a lot of sensitive information that can be used against you. The information includes personal details, credit card details, and even banking accounts.
With access to your name, address, and financial data, you could be subjected to various fraudulent activities like identity theft. Hackers will also be able to access remote devices that are connected to your network like security cameras.
If you don't want to go through the trouble of setting up your router, you can start by changing your passwords. If that doesn't work, you can hard factory reset your router. That way, all configurations, and connections will be removed, as mentioned in Aura.
To make sure that no other third parties can gain access to your Wi-Fi remotely, you can disable remote administration which you can find through the router's online interface. This serves as an extra layer of protection from other bad actors.
