Multifunction printers (MFPs) sit at the intersection of physical document handling and network connectivity, processing sensitive data, authenticating users, and communicating across enterprise infrastructure every day. Yet MFPs remain one of the most under-monitored endpoint categories in most organizations’ security programs.
The consequences of that blind spot are well documented. In recent years, researchers have disclosed firmware-level vulnerabilities across major MFP product lines, from PostScript interpreter flaws enabling arbitrary code execution, to pass-back attacks capable of harvesting Active Directory credentials, to print driver vulnerabilities that sat undiscovered for over a decade. Print-related vulnerabilities have accounted for a meaningful share of cases reported to the Microsoft Security Response Center, and incidents such as PrintNightmare have demonstrated how the print stack can be weaponized for privilege escalation and lateral movement.
For IT operations and security compliance teams, the challenge is twofold: how do you bring firmware vulnerability management for a fleet of MFPs up to the same rigor applied to laptops and servers, and how do you reduce the attack surface structurally so there’s less to patch in the first place?
The answer increasingly involves standardization. Microsoft’s transition away from third-party print drivers, with its end-of-servicing plan already underway and full phase-out on the 2027 horizon, reflects a deliberate architectural shift. Windows Protected Print Mode relies exclusively on Mopria certified printers using IPP-based communication, eliminating kernel-mode third-party driver code and enabling security protections like Arbitrary Code Guard, Control Flow Enforcement Technology, and user-level spooler privileges that weren’t possible in the legacy driver model.
We asked Mopria Alliance members to share their perspectives on firmware vulnerability management, fleet hardening strategies, and how standards-based, driverless printing is reshaping the security posture of the print endpoint.
The Firmware Visibility Gap
MFPs run complex firmware stacks, yet many organizations lack the same patch management discipline for their print fleet that they apply to PCs and servers. Outdated firmware, inconsistent update cycles, and limited visibility into device-level vulnerabilities create persistent risk.
Most enterprises have mature patch management programs for PCs and servers, but MFP firmware often falls outside those workflows. What are the biggest barriers your customers face in maintaining firmware hygiene across a distributed print fleet, and how is your organization helping to close that gap?
“Today’s office printers and copiers (MFPs) aren’t ‘dumb’ peripherals anymore; they’re networked computers with an OS, web console, storage, and a steady stream of security updates. But in many environments, they still aren’t managed like endpoints.
A secure by design approach starts by acknowledging that print devices are endpoints, and should be treated as such from day one. That means building firmware with a strong security baseline, providing transparent vulnerability disclosures, and enabling centralized visibility into firmware versions and update status. Just as importantly, organizations must make firmware updates operationally practical: predictable release cadences, low-risk update mechanisms, and integration with existing IT workflows.
Closing the firmware gap isn’t about adding more controls; it’s about reducing friction. When updating MFP firmware becomes as routine as patching a laptop, security improves naturally, and the print fleet becomes a first-class citizen in the enterprise security posture.”
-Eric McCann, Manager, Technology Portfolio Architect at Lexmark, A Subsidiary of Xerox Corporation
Reducing the Attack Surface: The Driverless Security Dividend
Third-party print drivers have historically introduced significant risk, running kernel-level code, expanding the trusted codebase, and creating vectors for exploitation. The shift to driverless, IPP-based printing through Windows Protected Print Mode fundamentally changes this equation by removing untrusted driver code from the stack entirely.
How does the transition to driverless, Mopria IPP-based printing change the security conversation with your enterprise customers? Where do you see the most significant attack surface reduction, and what does this mean for compliance teams working within zero-trust frameworks?
“As Microsoft continues advancing modern print experiences, the transition to driverless, IPP-based printing represents an important security milestone for enterprise customers and the broader Mopria ecosystem. Windows Protected Print Platform (WPP) and IPP-based printing help reshape the security conversation by reducing reliance on print drivers, narrowing attack surfaces, and supporting secure-by-design printing workflows. The shift away from kernel-level privileges towards scoped user-level print privileges is especially meaningful in Zero Trust environments, improving confidence in the integrity of the print path.
With the 2026.05D update, Windows 11 introduced new printer icons in Settings to signal Mopria print compatibility, reinforcing customer trust by highlighting a more secure print experience. Driver-ranking changes coming in July 2026 to prefer IPP-based printing will streamline printer installation and increase print reliability. Establishing Mopria printing as the default print experience highlights continued momentum towards open, standards-based printing, improving reliability, security posture, and customer trust.”
– Michael Ziller, Software Developer at Microsoft
“As a print software industry leader, we’ve learned that security progress starts with standardization. Multifunction printers are no longer passive peripherals; they’re active, networked endpoints. Mopria certification establishes a consistent, vendor‑agnostic security baseline across heterogeneous print fleets, replacing fragmented driver models with IPP-based, user-mode architectures. That consistency matters. It structurally reduces the attack surface and makes firmware posture easier to assess and compare. Just as importantly, it simplifies compliance reporting. When fleets align to a common Mopria baseline, mapping controls to frameworks like NIST, ISO 27001, or SOC 2 becomes clearer, faster, and far more defensible for IT and audit teams alike.”
-Michael St. Laurent, Print Software and Consumer Services Chief Architect at HP
Operationalizing Fleet Hardening: From Policy to Practice
Endpoint hardening for MFPs in the workplace goes beyond firmware updates and driver elimination. It encompasses network segmentation, default credential remediation, access controls, encryption of data at rest and in transit, and audit logging applied consistently across a fleet that may span dozens of models and manufacturers.
What does a practical MFP hardening program look like in 2026? What are the non-negotiable security controls that IT operations teams should have in place today, and how do Mopria standards and IPP-based infrastructure simplify the implementation of those controls across a multi-vendor fleet?
“A practical MFP hardening program in 2026 now mirrors endpoint security for any critical asset, consistent, enforceable, and scalable across a diverse, multi-vendor fleet. In real-world deployments, IT teams are segmenting printers into dedicated VLANs to contain risk, for example, isolating finance or HR print environments to prevent lateral movement if a device is compromised. Organizations are also systematically disabling unused services such as FTP and Telnet, while standardizing on SNMPv3 to ensure encrypted, authenticated device monitoring.
Non-negotiable controls increasingly include user authentication with secure print release (badge or PIN), reducing the risk of sensitive documents being exposed at shared devices, alongside disciplined firmware lifecycle and patch management. The adoption of IPP and Mopria standards further simplifies enforcement, reducing dependency on legacy drivers, shrinking the attack surface, and enabling consistent security policies across heterogeneous printer fleets.”
-Dilinur Wushour, President at Kyocera Document Solutions Development America, Inc.
The MFP is no longer a peripheral; it’s a networked endpoint processing sensitive data, authenticating users, and communicating across the enterprise. Treating it with the same security rigor applied to any other endpoint isn’t optional; it’s a compliance and operational imperative.
The good news: the industry is converging on a more modern, defensible architecture. Microsoft’s move toward driverless printing through Windows Protected Print Mode, built on Mopria IPP standards, structurally eliminates one of the largest historical attack surfaces in the print stack. Combined with firmware integrity features from leading OEMs, standardized management interfaces, and zero-trust-aligned authentication, IT operations and security teams have a clear path to hardening the fleet without adding complexity.
With Microsoft’s 2027 end-of-servicing timeline for third-party drivers already in motion, the window to assess, plan, and modernize is now. Mopria certified devices, spanning 10,000+ printer models across 24 manufacturers, provide the standards-based foundation for a print infrastructure that’s secure by design, not just secure by policy.
Ready to assess your fleet’s security posture? Explore the Mopria ecosystem and find Mopria certified devices at mopria.org.
