Print Activity Risk Calculator

Calculator Inputs

Enter your print environment details, then calculate. Use realistic daily averages for better scoring stability.

Formula Used

Each control area is converted into a 0–10 risk factor. Higher values mean higher risk. Factors are combined using weighted scoring.

Weights sum to 100, so the base score naturally scales to 0–100. The incident modifier reflects recent evidence of control gaps.

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter your average daily print jobs and pages per job.
2. Estimate the percentage of pages containing protected content.
3. Select how prints are released, authenticated, and connected.
4. Set logging, patch cadence, retention, and disposal practices.
5. Calculate the score, then act on top contributors first.

Print Risk Surfaces in Modern Fleets

Enterprise printing blends physical documents, embedded firmware, and network services. Risk rises when devices sit in public corridors, when management interfaces are reachable from user VLANs, and when jobs traverse Wi‑Fi or cloud relays without strong controls. The calculator models these surfaces to translate day‑to‑day printing into a consistent risk score.

Exposure grows nonlinearly with workload. A site that runs 50 jobs/day at 3 pages each produces about 150 pages/day; at 15% sensitivity that is roughly 23 sensitive pages/day. If the same workload is “Restricted,” the multiplier increases impact, reflecting higher harm potential. These inputs anchor the score to measurable throughput, not opinions.

Behind the scenes, each control maps to a 0–10 factor and is multiplied by a weight. The weights total 100, so the base score lands on a 0–100 scale. Incident history adds 0, 3, 6, or 10 points, capped at 100. This approach lets teams compare departments and track improvements over time.

Output release is a dominant driver because unattended trays enable misdelivery and opportunistic pickup. Moving from open pickup to secure release reduces the factor sharply, especially when paired with badge or MFA authentication. Physical placement matters too: shifting printers from open offices to controlled areas reduces casual access and supports “clean desk” discipline.

Reduce residual risk by purging spools quickly, enforcing classification rules, and shredding waste. These steps target retention, DLP, and disposal factors directly.

Logging converts printing into auditable events. Central logs or SIEM alerting can flag bursts, unusual destinations, after‑hours printing, or repeated failures that indicate probing. The calculator adds an incident modifier for the last 12 months to represent observed weakness. Pair this with monthly firmware patching and integrity checks to reduce exploitable exposure.

Use the 0–100 score to prioritize remediation where it yields the most reduction. Scores under 25 suggest routine governance; 25–49 supports targeted improvements; 50–74 indicates high exposure; 75+ warrants urgent controls. Focus first on the top contributors list, then validate improvements by recalculating after each control change and documenting the delta.

FAQs

What does the risk score represent?

It summarizes exposure from print volume, sensitivity, release security, access controls, network posture, monitoring, and operational hygiene. Higher scores indicate greater likelihood of leakage or compromise, and larger potential impact.

How do I estimate the sensitive pages percentage?

Sample one or two typical weeks, classify documents by policy, and divide sensitive pages by total pages. If you lack data, start with a conservative estimate and refine after enabling logging or print analytics.

Why is secure release emphasized?

Walk‑up pickup is a common failure mode. Secure release holds jobs until the user authenticates at the device, reducing misdelivery, casual browsing, and unattended output exposure in shared areas.

Can I compare departments or sites with this tool?

Yes. Use the same definitions for inputs across locations, then compare scores and top contributors. Track the before-and-after score when you deploy controls like segmentation, SIEM alerts, or shredding.

How often should the score be recalculated?

Recalculate after any control change, major printer fleet refresh, or policy update. As a baseline, review monthly for high-risk environments and quarterly for stable, low-volume offices.

Does this replace a formal assessment?

No. It is a practical screening model for prioritization. Use it to target deeper testing, validate configurations, and support audit evidence alongside vulnerability scanning, vendor hardening guides, and incident response reviews.

Example Data Table

Sample scenarios show how different controls shift the risk score. These are illustrative examples.