Advice Request Which printer models are invulnerable to malware?

[cartaphilus]

Hi everyone,

Are there printers that are invulnerable to malware? Are these perhaps old printer models whose memory I can clear by turning off the printer?

Are old printers less vulnerable to malware than newer models?

Are there modern printer models that are invulnerable to malware?

Thanks for your comments.

Majority if not all dot matrix printers that hook up to your PC via DB-25 Printer Port.

 

[Victor M]

Since you have important/classified material enough to warrant a air-gap machine, remember to lock up the print outs. And get a paper shredder for secure disposal.

 

[cartaphilus]

Since you have important/classified material enough to warrant a air-gap machine, remember to lock up the print outs. And get a paper shredder for secure disposal.

Everyone knows that SAP/SAR, ACCM and any other compartmented channels documents are only printed on Chinese branded printers that are hooked up to the internet.

 

[cartaphilus]

Key words: "very old printer model".

Probably so old that there is no OEM firmware or software updates. Any printer OEM software that you installed and use on your PC are probably also vulnerable.

At risk? Likely.

How badly? Difficult to say as it depends upon so many variables.

However, if the printer is very old (greater than 10 years old), it is possible that it is no longer being actively targeted by threat actors regardless of the vulnerabilities. It's off their attack radar map and has descended into relevancy for them.

In such a case, the best thing to do is to keep it air-gapped (not connected to the network).

LOL, I have to ask how old the printer actually is? Does the software run on Windows 10 or 11, or is your system Windows 7, XP, or earlier?

I don't recall, my memory fails me but I don't remember ever upgrading a firmware on my DEC Dot Matrix device.

 

[William2]

Since you have important/classified material enough to warrant a air-gap machine, remember to lock up the print outs. And get a paper shredder for secure disposal.

Thanks. Good advice.

 

[William2]

Thank you all so much for your detailed answers. I'm learning a lot from you.

I currently have a Samsung SCX-3200 laser printer. This printer model was released in 2010. It can also scan and copy.

Could this printer transmit malware from my online computer to my air-gapped computer, which is completely isolated from the outside world?

Or is that risk only theoretical and minimal? I hope it's safe, otherwise I'll have to buy a second printer.

 

[Victor M]

chatGPT looked thru your printer's manuals and there is no mention of a hard drive, it only has RAM. So if you power down the printer and let it sit for 5 mins the RAM will be definitely cleared. ChatGPT also says there is no WiFi or Ethernet, there is another model that does. And that it has a USB jack only. So attack from the network would not happen directly. Since you say you are going to buy 2 printers and use one exclusively for the air-gapped machine. This one would not pose any problems of carrying over malware. Stick to your plan of having separate printer for your air gapped machine.

 

[William2]

chatGPT looked thru your printer's manuals and there is no mention of a hard drive, it only has RAM. So if you power down the printer and let it sit for 5 mins the RAM will be definitely cleared.

Thanks for consulting AI on this. Why should I buy a separate printer for my air-gapped computer if my Samsung SCX-3200 printer has only RAM?

ChatGPT also says there is no WiFi or Ethernet, there is another model that does. And that it has a USB jack only. So attack from the network would not happen directly.

Since you say you are going to buy 2 printers and use one exclusively for the air-gapped machine. This one would not pose any problems of carrying over malware. Stick to your plan of having separate printer for your air gapped machine.

 

[Victor M]

Why should I buy a separate printer for my air-gapped computer if my Samsung SCX-3200 printer has only RAM?

Because your main machine can send malware to the ram. And depending on how that ram is used by the software, it can transfee over. The malware will stay in the ram as long as it is powered on.

 

[William2]

Because your main machine can send malware to the ram. And depending on how that ram is used by the software, it can transfee over. The malware will stay in the ram as long as it is powered on.

Can I safely use this old printer for my online computer and my isolated air-gapped computer, as long as I turn the printer off in between, so that the RAM is cleared?

 

[roger_m]

Can I safely use this old printer for my online computer and my isolated air-gapped computer, as long as I turn the printer off in between, so that the RAM is cleared?

If you keep Windows updated and never open random files, the chances of getting infected are usually very low. In the very rare case you did get infected, it's highly unlikely that it would be malware that will infect your printer.

Do you have sensitive information that no one else can see, or are you just paranoid?

 

[Victor M]

as long as I turn the printer off in between, so that the RAM is cleared?

That should work.