OPINION

MARK CHILLINGWORTH , EUROPEAN TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP WRITER , EDITOR & FOUNDER , HORIZON CIO NETWORK

In today ’ s rapidly changing cybersecurity landscape , it is important that companies invest in a robust defence against digital vulnerabilities – but output management is one area that is often overlooked . This complex environment can be challenging to manage . Mark Chillingworth , European Technology Leadership Writer , Editor & Founder , Horizon CIO Network , offers some insight into how organisations can ensure output management is part of a holistic strategy for making businesses both more effective and secure .

Overlooking output management places organisations at risk

In the clamour and hype surrounding plans to digitally transform organisations , output security is all too often forgotten . Output is perceived as not being part of digitisation , yet vital business processes rely on both physical and digital outputs . Therefore , output , in all its forms , requires the same high levels of security strategy as pure digital processes such as e-commerce and data security – both of which rely on output management .

“ The first thing you get done as a healthcare patient at check-in is that you receive a wristband ,” explains Guy Tucker , Solutions Architect at LRS . That wristband is printed on the spot and features unique information linked to that individual patient . Digitisation has changed and improved a wealth of business processes , but the need for physical and digital output remains in many vertical markets . This is as true when it comes to labelling boxes of goods a business has prepared for distribution as it is when identifying samples in a laboratory or meeting accessibility needs for customers and peers .

Output and print management has remained a central tenet of business as it is cost-effective . RFID tags are expensive and erode the profit margin of manufacturers struggling with record levels of inflation . Output management is about more than printing , too . Creating a PDF lading document removes hardcopy printing but still requires the same levels of output management as corporate printing .

Digital vulnerabilities

If output management is not considered part of an organisation ’ s Digital Transformation – and therefore its cybersecurity strategy – then vulnerabilities arise . In 2023 , vulnerabilities in output technologies led to authentication backdoors into organisations , opening up technology estates to SQL injection and crosssite scripting risks . One vulnerability exposed organisations to 18 different threat types . Other

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