You may have noticed recently that some or all of your Xerox devices made you change your default password (assuming your device was still using the default—if you had customized the password during the lifespan of the unit, you may not have seen this notification).
This may have been slightly inconvenient, but changing default passwords has always been a good thing for security purposes. After all, if anyone can look up the default password and access the administrative settings of your device, then what good is the password at that point?
From now on, Xerox devices will handle default passwords in a way that’s different than the past. In fact, you may see many other technology developers follow suit. In today’s post on the Smart Document Solutions blog, we’ll explain why.
Why Did Xerox Change The Way Default Passwords Are Set on Most Devices?
Here’s how default passwords will work on Xerox equipment moving forward: rather than a default password based on the make and model of the unit you’re working with—something that you (and anyone else) could have looked up online—the default password will now generally be the serial number of the machine itself.
Xerox has made this change in response to the recently passed California state law SB-327, which states that any company manufacturing devices which can connect to the internet (which your modern multifunction printer can, of course) must use a unique password for the default password. In Xerox’s case, this unique password will simply be the serial number of the device, which itself is a unique identifier.
You may be wondering why Xerox would bother doing this for all of their equipment, including the Xerox machines available to us here in Arizona. It’s because it’s much easier to do it that way for both Xerox and the end user. Imagine what a hassle it would be if you had to look up different default passwords depending on the state your unit was sold!
How Else Does Xerox Protect My Data Security, and Why Does it Matter?
Xerox is an industry leader in keeping your data (and the data of your customers!) safe. It’s a topic we’ve become very familiar with on the blog, so if you’d like to learn more, we recommend checking out some of the following posts:
- Xerox Security and Printer Disk Storage: When is Data Deleted?
- Automated Data Backups With Your Xerox MFP
- Healthcare Providers Rejoice: Easy & Secure HIPPA Compliance With Xerox
- How Xerox Protects Your Data With Security Updates & Patches
Now that the default passwords have been changed on all current and newly-sold Xerox devices, you may be wondering if you have to do anything on your end. Most likely the answer is nothing—as Xerox rolled out the default password updates, your machine has already prompted you to update the password. However, if you want to be sure, or you want to change the password to something else, read on to learn how.
Learn More About Xerox Multifunction Printers & Streamline Your Productivity at Smart Document Solutions
If you’d like to learn more about how modern Xerox technology not only keeps your data safe with security updates like the one discussed in this post but also gives you the freedom you need to boost workflow productivity, please feel free to contact us online or come and see us in person at any of our locations throughout Arizona. You may also request a free online quote!
