Quocirca, a research business specialising in the printing industry, attributes this ranking to three key factors: “greater independent assurance of device security, a clearer shift to continuous cloud-based governance of fleet security, and closer alignment with Microsoft’s evolving cloud print architecture”.

The annual report includes a study for which Quocirca surveyed 400 IT decision-makers from France, Germany, the UK, and the United States, representing companies of various sizes and across different industries.

Underestimated security risk

The findings of the study are cause for concern. While approximately 80% of the organisations surveyed stated that they continue to rely heavily on printing, only 31% view their printing infrastructure as a significant security risk, ranking it only seventh behind more general IT security concerns such as the cloud, AI, and email.

This discrepancy poses risks: The number of printing-related data breaches has risen significantly compared to the previous year, from 56% to 67%. Particularly alarming: 43% of companies have even experienced multiple security incidents. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are especially hard hit. More than seven in ten companies (71%) reported at least one printing-related data breach last year.

At the same time, the study’s findings reveal a clear correlation between security investments and lower rates of data loss. Companies with comprehensive security measures experienced printing-related data loss significantly less frequently than less well-secured companies (56% of frontrunners vs. 73% of laggards).

Growing concerns about AI-powered cyber threats

Artificial intelligence is increasingly emerging as a new risk factor for print security. According to Quocirca, with 31% AI-based cyberattacks are now among the biggest security challenges for print infrastructures, ranking first among the risks cited. At the same time, 54% are very or extremely concerned that attackers could use AI to develop increasingly sophisticated and harder-to-detect threats to printing and document environments. This represents an increase from 2025, when only 40% expressed this concern.

Firmware and hardware vulnerabilities rank among the greatest security risks

Alongside AI-based cyberattacks, with 29% vulnerabilities in firmware and hardware rank second among the greatest challenges to the security of printing infrastructures. Quocirca also points out that multi-vendor fleets, in particular, pose a higher risk. Due to inconsistent security configurations, varying firmware update cycles, and fragmented management tools, they often introduce additional vulnerabilities. Quocirca therefore recommends that companies continuously monitor the security status of their printing infrastructure. This includes, among other things, device configurations, firmware versions, and other security-related factors.

According to Quocirca, “Konica Minolta frames print security within a broader information security strategy built around zero trust principles.”

Ole Maaz, Head of International Marketing Division, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe, states, "The study’s findings clearly show that companies can no longer view print infrastructures as isolated peripheral devices. In light of rising data breaches, increasing AI-based threats, and more complex IT environments, print security is becoming an integral part of holistic cybersecurity strategies. Konica Minolta is helping organisations embed print security within their wider zero-trust security strategy. We enable customers to move from individual device security settings towards continuous, cloud-based security governance across their entire print fleet. Our goal is to help organisations continuously reduce security risks while taking advantage of modern, cloud-based work environments.”