Security News > 2023 > July > Canon warns of Wi-Fi security risks when discarding inkjet printers
Canon is warning users of home, office, and large format inkjet printers that their Wi-Fi connection settings stored in the devices' memories are not wiped, as they should, during initialization, allowing others to gain access to the data.
The specific information stored in a Canon printer varies depending on the model and configuration but generally includes the network SSID, the password, network type, assigned IP address, MAC address, and network profile.
The exposure of this sensitive Wi-Fi connection information could help a malicious third-party gain unauthorized network access to a Canon printer user's network that the printer was connected to.
The list of Canon printers impacted by this issue is too extensive to include, comprising 196 inkjet, business inkjet, and large-format inject printer models from the E, G, GX, iB, iP, MB, MG, MX, PRO, TR, TS, and XK series.
Canon suggests owners of impacted printers first wipe their Wi-FI settings before a third party has access to the printer, such as when you are repairing the device or giving/selling it to another person.
Another good security precaution would be to keep printers on networks isolated from valuable assets so that attackers won't be able to access important devices even if that network is compromised.