SECURE NIC: IMAGER NETWORK PORT MANAGEMENT Sharp's family of Digital Imagerª Printers and Copiers use Network Interface Cards (NIC) to connect to your office network. Setup and configuration is greatly simplified through the use of intuitive web pages. These can be accessed remotely by your network administrator. Although highly convenient for the administrator, this easy access may raise the possibility that unauthorized users, or even hackers, might be able to:
- Access the device
- Retrieve data from it
- Alter settings
BUILT IN HARDWARE LEVEL SECURITY
In fact even if data cannot be retrieved, viewing the configuration settings alone often gives sufficient network information for a hacker to be able to mount a serious "denial of service" attack on the main network servers.
Sharp's Secure Network Interface Card essentially protects the device with its own firewall, so that only authorized users are granted access to configuration details and network settings. When coupled with password protection, this means the administrator still has the convenience of remote setup and still minimize the risk of outside attack. Further, it can limit print access to identified users or specific print servers. Access can be controlled at 3 levels:
- IP address filtering:
Limits access to a select IP addresses
- MAC address filtering:
Limits access to specific PC's regardless of IP address
- Protocol Disabling:
Specific communication protocols are disabled (such as Telnet, RARP & JCP)
Sharp's family of Digital Imagerª Printers and Copiers use Network Interface Cards (NIC) to connect to your office network. Setup and configuration is greatly simplified through the use of intuitive web pages. These can be accessed remotely by your network administrator. Although highly convenient for the administrator, this easy access may raise the possibility that unauthorized users, or even hackers, might be able to: 
In fact even if data cannot be retrieved, viewing the configuration settings alone often gives sufficient network information for a hacker to be able to mount a serious "denial of service" attack on the main network servers. 
