Canon Warns Users to Manually Delete Wi-Fi Settings Before Selling or Repairing Printers
In a recent advisory, printer manufacturer Canon has warned its customers that sensitive Wi-Fi settings are not automatically wiped during factory resets. This means that if users do not manually delete these settings before selling, discarding, or getting their printers repaired, the information could fall into the wrong hands.
The advisory, released on Monday, stated that “sensitive information on the Wi-Fi connection settings stored in the memories of inkjet printers (home and office/large format) may not be deleted by the usual initialization process.” Canon officials emphasized the importance of manual wiping when the printer is in the possession of any third party, such as during repairs, lending, or disposal.
Like many modern printers, Canon printers connect to networks via Wi-Fi. To establish this connection, users are required to provide the SSID name, the password for network access, and sometimes additional information such as Wi-Fi network type, local network IP address, MAC address, and network profile.
While it may seem logical to assume that a factory reset would remove these settings, Canon’s advisory revealed that this is not always the case. If this information is exposed, malicious actors could potentially gain unauthorized access to a network hosting a Canon printer.
To prevent this, Canon users are advised to follow specific steps instead of relying solely on the reset function. For printers with a dedicated reset function, users should reset all settings, enable the wireless LAN, and reset all settings once more. For printers without a dedicated reset function, users should reset LAN settings, enable the wireless LAN, and reset LAN settings again.
The advisory includes a list of nearly 200 affected printer models, which can be found on Canon’s website.
It is crucial for Canon printer owners to take these precautions to ensure the security of their Wi-Fi settings and prevent unauthorized access to their networks. By manually deleting these settings before selling, discarding, or getting their printers repaired, users can protect their sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.
What are the potential risks of not deleting Wi-Fi settings when selling or repairing Canon printers?
Canon Urges Users to Safely Delete Wi-Fi Settings When Selling or Repairing Printers
In a recent advisory, Canon, a leading printer manufacturer, has issued a warning to its customers regarding the potential exposure of sensitive Wi-Fi settings during the selling or repairing of printers. The company stated that factory resets do not automatically erase these settings, meaning that if users fail to manually delete them, the information could end up in the wrong hands.
According to the advisory released on Monday, inkjet printers (both home and office/large format) store sensitive Wi-Fi connection settings, which may not be removed by the usual initialization process. With this in mind, Canon officials stressed the importance of manually wiping the settings when the printer is in the possession of a third party, such as during repairs, lending, or disposal.
Like many modern printers, Canon models utilize Wi-Fi to connect to networks. To establish this connection, users need to input the SSID name, network access password, and sometimes additional details such as Wi-Fi network type, local network IP address, MAC address, and network profile.
Contrary to expectations, a factory reset does not erase these settings, as revealed by Canon’s advisory. This means that if this information is exposed, unauthorized individuals could potentially gain access to a network that hosts a Canon printer.
To mitigate this risk, Canon advises users to follow specific steps rather than relying solely on the reset function. For printers with a dedicated reset function, users should reset all settings, enable the wireless LAN, and reset all settings once more. For printers without a dedicated reset function, users should reset LAN settings, enable the wireless LAN, and reset LAN settings again.
Canon has published a list of nearly 200 affected printer models on its website for reference.
Taking these precautions is crucial for Canon printer owners to ensure the security of their Wi-Fi settings and prevent unauthorized access to their networks. By manually deleting these settings before selling, discarding, or getting their printers repaired, users can protect their sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.
Wow, eye-opening article! I always thought factory resets erase everything, but Canon’s explanation about Wi-Fi passwords still being stored is crucial. Time to take the necessary steps to secure my Wi-Fi network ASAP.