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It’s the small things in 17.1 that will make all the difference

With a number of small, yet impactful enhancements, this release focuses on limiting security risks that can occur during printing, increasing accountability of printed output, and making print management that much smarter.

For years, PaperCut has recognised the importance in providing a secure print environment. But the more important thing to realise is that this security goes beyond the printer. With 17.1, we’ve extended this security with further enhancements to watermarking and digital signatures, ensuring the security of your document is managed for the entire lifecycle of the document, not just until it is printed.

PaperCut NG and PaperCut MF’s HTTP security has had a caffeine boost with HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) and stricter cookie settings. A level up from the current SSL, 17.1 makes it easier to implement higher system security with permanent browser encryption with a simple check box.

The success of PaperCut’s Mobility Print is continuing to grow, with a number of enhancements rolling out automatically. Our latest Mobile and BYOD solution now provides even more security and support for shared devices with optional user authentication for each print job and restricted printer access through subnet filtering.

But PaperCut is not only about security. We certainly pride ourselves on being an easy and user-friendly solution and continue to improve our usability every release. 17.1 is also jam packed with improvements to Web Print, simplified Secure Print / Find Me configuration, Integrated Scanning for Ricoh SDK/J devices, new device support for HP and Xerox and improved workflow on and Kyocera.

Full page Watermarking to increase print security

Protecting your digital environment does not stop once a document has been printed. Secure Print Release protects the document until time of release, and while regulations and policies can be put in place, steps to change user behaviour beyond the printer need to be considered as well. This is where watermarking and digital signatures can be valuable, as they help protect the life of the document after it has been printed.

Stemming from consultations and requests from a number or government customers, in this release we’ve made enhancements to our existing watermark and digital signature feature by including Full Page Watermarking, helping organization push the value of digital signatures to the limit.

Watermarking and digital signatures provide accountability and traceability to printed documents to avoid accidental or deliberate breach of sensitive data after a document has been printed. It has been proven to be an effective mechanism to change user behaviour by reminding them to be careful when leaving sensitive documents lying around.

Watermarking options in Version 17.1

For more on PaperCut’s watermarking and digital signatures, visit https://www.papercut.com/tour/watermark/.

Web security enhancements put PaperCut security at an all time high

PaperCut has always kept a close eye on digital security and consistently ensure we keep in line with best practices, even setting new benchmarks for security in print management. The days are numbered where it is up to an organisation to choose whether they’ll secure their environment. In 2018, European organisations could face fines up to €20m or 4% of their global turnover in the event of a data breach as part of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In the US, all government organisations are enforced to follow strict security guidelines, including the use of HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS).

This release also offers stricter cookie security with HTTP Only and the option to force all cookies to HTTPS with a “secure” flag.

Find out more in our web server security settings knowledge base article.

Reduce Web Print server bottlenecks when printing multiple copies

Our latest Web Print server update changes the behavior of third party application requests for multiple copies of a single job. All copies will now be printed as a single job, improving system performance and user experience.

For SysAdmins and IT Managers, this reduces the load on the Application and Web Print servers with fewer spool file creation and network traffic. For end users, it means less wait time when releasing a job and minimises confusion by only presenting one print job at the release station.

Check out PaperCut’s Web Print Tour page for more information.

Added security for shared devices through enhanced Mobility Print user authentication

To help provide extra security on shared devices Mobility Print now enables optional forcement of authentication for every job printed no matter the user or device. When Mobility Print was released as part of 17.0, the default option was to authenticate “per device”, which meant the user’s details were remembered for the device they were printing from. We have recently added a second authentication option, which is “per job” authentication, which means user details will need to be re-entered for each print job, when printed to a printer which has this option turned on.

This new option gives SysAdmins the ability to enforce this higher security authentication mode on a per printer basis, so it can be set just for those printers available on a shared device, such as tablets or iPads. It will also ensure the correct users are being associated to their jobs, even if a user accidentally stays logged in on a shared device.

Note: This feature is not supported on Windows devices.

Find out more on PaperCut’s Mobility Print blog or the Mobility Print Help Centre.

Restrict printer access through Mobility Print based on subnets

Eliminate any potential confusion and make it easier for users to select the most appropriate printer for them through subnet filtering.

By restricting access to printers for specified users and groups, or across multiple sites and locations, only the printers available on the specified subnet will be shown.

Detailed instructions have been included in the Mobility Print Help Centre to assist with configuring subnet filters.

Mobility Print is now supported by offline Site Servers

The simplicity and versatility of Mobility Print is now supported with the seamless failover of Site Servers. Not only can users have choice and freedom to print from whatever device is at their disposal, SysAdmins can have the confidence that their Mobility Print network will be always available when using Site Servers.

Extending the integration between online Site Servers and Mobility Print, offline mode support has been added to provide networks utilising Mobility Print the continuous availability of printing resources that Site Servers provide.

For more on PaperCut’s Site Server have a look at the Tour page or the Mobility Print Help Centre.

Industry expert feedback on Security Whitepaper

We’ve received some great feedback regarding our whitepaper: Securing your Print System. Based on industry expert feedback we’ve released an update.

If you haven’t already read it, the paper provides practical and tested advice on how to secure your print system end-to-end from before a print job is printed, through securing the print workflow, to safeguarding your printed documents.

For the latest on PaperCut’s security, check out the PaperCut security knowledge base article.

Improved Secure Print and Find-Me configuration

For PaperCut MF users, we’ve made improvements to Secure Print and Find-Me Printing to decrease configuration time, increase awareness of inaccurate settings and we do this all with full backwards compatibility, no matter how unique your current environment is.

Find out more on PaperCut’s Find-Me Printing and Secure Print Release tour pages.

PaperCut MF with Integrated Scanning on Ricoh SDK/J devices

The PaperCut MF application on Ricoh SDK/J (Java) devices has been RiDP certified and now includes Integrated Scanning.

Now with both Integrated Scanning and a modern, intuitive interface on Ricoh Java devices, PaperCut MF provides a seamless end-user experience at the MFD panel. The new pre-configurable Scan Actions ensure secure document scanning on Ricoh SDK/J devices will effortlessly integrate into existing business processes.

Keep an eye out for Integrated Scanning on Ricoh SOP devices coming soon with PaperCut MF in late 2017.

To find out more on Ricoh, visit the Tour.

PaperCut MF for HP’s new lineup of security-optimized A3 MFPs and card readers

Following the recent launch of HP’s new lineup of multifunction printers with advanced security features, we have been working closely with HP to ensure PaperCut MF provides a secure, consistent user experience. The ease of use of the large touchscreen control panel on the LaserJet Enterprise MFPs complements the quality and seamless experience of PaperCut MF.

PaperCut MF also supports the latest card-readers released by HP, HP Universal USB Proximity Card Reader (Product Number X3D03A) and RF IDeas RDR-805H3AKU. Up to four card types can now be configured in the PaperCut Admin web interface.

We have also begun work on a brand new PaperCut MF build for HP so keep an eye for this to be released later in 2017. Built from the ground up, this release will leverage HP’s OXPd platform to bring all the latest PaperCut MF functionality to HP MFP, including Integrated Scanning.

To find out more about PaperCut MF for HP visit the Tour.

PaperCut MF on the new Xerox VersaLink and AltaLink MFPs

For what was the largest product launch in Xerox history, our focus quickly turned to ensuring PaperCut MF was supported on the latest ConnectKey device range. The versatility and scalability of PaperCut MF complements the Xerox VersaLink (designed for small workgroups and distributed teams) and the Xerox AltaLink series (designed for larger workgroups and print volumes) providing a seamless end-user experience.

Keep an eye out for PaperCut MF with Integrated Scanning on Xerox MFPs coming in late 2017.

Find out more about PaperCut MF for Xerox on the Tour page.

Direct access to PaperCut MF from the native Kyocera interface

We’ve made it easy to navigate back to PaperCut MF from the native device interface. These workflow improvements for Kyocera MFDs avoids the need for users to inconveniently logout and then back in again to access PaperCut MF by presenting an icon taking them back to the PaperCut MF home screen.

Find out more about PaperCut MF for Kyocera on the Tour page.

Want to know more?

To help you digest all the updates, we’ve detailed all features, enhancements and fixes, in the 17.1 Release Notes for PaperCut NG and PaperCut MF.

And of course, the “Fine Print”

If you have a current subscription to Premium Upgrade Assurance, your upgrade to Version 17.0 is already included. Otherwise, one-time upgrades may be purchased via our online order system or through your PaperCut supplier. And hey, added bonus – upgrading now will entitle you to all of the releases in the 17.x series throughout the year!

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New & Noteworthy – PaperCut makes it as easy as child’s play with Version 17.0

PaperCut 17.0 makes your job even easier with Mobility Print, a new modern UI design, Integrated Scanning, and direct copier access for guests.

Release overview

For 17.0, PaperCut have focused on making it easy – easy for SysAdmins and easy for end users. From simple printing from BYOD and mobile devices to the latest in UI design, we’re making PaperCut as easy to use as child’s play.

The addition of PaperCut MF Integrated Scanning for Toshiba MFDs (MDS v3) and Epson Multifunction Devices makes it easy to configure and manage Scan Actions, allowing users to securely scan to authorized email and folder destinations. On Sharp and Kyocera MFDs (and others soon) we’ve added a new optional “Guest Access” button providing easy one-click access to the device under a guest user account.

So…let’s get into the detail!

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Mobility Print – Make mobile & BYOD printing simple again

As IT has shifted from managed desktops over to BYOD and mobile devices, a whole new set of complexities have appeared. Print environments in particular have felt this, with fragmented solutions needed to support all the different platforms and devices available. Wasn’t technology meant to make our lives “simpler”? That’s why we created Mobility Print! It takes a few clicks to set up, new printers are automatically published, and most importantly, no more support calls about finding print drivers or joining domains!  

After brewing in the percolator (under the codename Project Banksia), release 17.0 lifts the curtain on Mobility Print. Building on our existing mobile and BYOD solutions, PaperCut is bringing the simplicity of print management back for SysAdmins – having the software do the heavy lifting so printing “just works” on any end-user device. We’re making it easy!  

Mobility Print gives users the choice and freedom to print from whatever device is at their disposal, providing a native print experience across all platforms (iOS, Android, Chrome OS, Windows MacOS). Whether on smartphones, tablets, laptops, or Chromebooks, users can quickly discover and print to any published printer, meaning SysAdmins get more time “playing with infrastructure” rather than dealing with frustrated end users.

And of course, PaperCut will continue to support existing Mobile & BYOD options such as Web Print, iOS printing, Google Cloud Print and Email to Print, providing greater choice for SysAdmins and end users alike. This flexibility is especially helpful if you are encouraging BYOD at your workplace or implementing a 1-to-1 (1:1) laptop program at your school.

Find out more on the Mobility Print Tour page or dive into the Mobility Print manual.

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Introducing a new modern UI design

As we push ourselves to deliver the latest in technology, we always have SysAdmins, their users, and the overall experience at the top of our mind. Drawing on the latest UI designs and UX workflows, we have refreshed the interface of PaperCut NG and MF to present a more intuitive, clean, and fun new look.

A few changes you will notice straight away are the main navigation menu has moved to the left hand side and the Actions menu is now at the top right hand side. On a high resolution screen, you will be greeted with clearer icons and an actions menu that is always in sight, giving you a warm fuzzy feeling about that 5K screen you just bought. As an added bonus, you’ll now have time for an extra coffee or two with the ability to bookmark your commonly used pages and a quicker way to select or clear admin rights for users.

The refreshed Admin web interface is just one of the modern enhancements we will continue to deliver. With more room on the navigation menu, there is no limit to how many new features PaperCut NG and PaperCut MF can contain!

We’ll be sending out a couple of blogs over the coming weeks telling all the little stories behind the picture. Keep an eye on our blog!

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PaperCut MF with Integrated Scanning for Toshiba and Epson devices

Integrated Scanning extends PaperCut MF print and copy management features with new pre-configurable Scan Actions ensuring effortless integration into existing business processes.

Toshiba MDS v3 and Epson users can easily scan documents to authorized email and folder destinations via a seamless experience at the MFD panel.

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Refreshed PaperCut MF interface on Xerox and Canon

We are continuing to refresh PaperCut MF across all manufacturer devices – with 19 supported embedded applications, this is clearly a big job yet one we gladly take onboard!

We are pleased to announce the PaperCut MF interface has been refreshed for Xerox and Canon Multifunction Devices.

We’re excited to announce that this refresh is the first step to adding Integrated Scanning to Xerox in 2017.

Guest Access on Sharp and Kyocera using PaperCut MF

There are some times when you need to bend the rules! PaperCut MF now allows SysAdmins to easily enable a button on the device login screen authorizing anonymous user access to the device. This provides a quick and easy option for users and/or guests wanting to copy and scan on otherwise restricted devices without logging in or being charged. A nominated user account can be associated to the “Guest Access” button, allowing tracking of all copy, print and scan usage with device-specific and user account configuration.

To find out more, check out our latest knowledge base article.

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Getting started on PaperCut NG has never been easier!

While PaperCut NG has one of the best documented products out there, our manual is over 1000 pages long – and we know no-one really likes to read through that many pages no matter how much you like techie stuff! We have developed Getting Started Guides for Windows users to get you up and running quicker! Tailored specifically for Education, Business, and Professional sectors, each guide provides the key information required for a standard install.

To find out more, check out our knowledge base article on getting started.

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The latest on Print Security

Have you heard the story about 150,000 printers being hijacked? Unfortunately, this one was not a joke as many offices discovered earlier this year (read more from the BBC in “Hacker briefly hijacks insecure printers”). Cases like these highlight the increasing importance of printing security – after all printing is a business critical function which handles sensitive information.

PaperCut’s heritage is in education, a tough security environment (students do like to hack!) and security has always been a core value.  We’ve now pooled our security knowledge and lessons learnt over the past two decades to bring you a new white paper: Securing your Print System.

This paper provides practical and tested advice on how to secure your print system end-to-end from before a print job is printed, through securing the print workflow, to safeguarding your printed documents.

For the latest on PaperCut’s security, check out the PaperCut security knowledge base article.

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Want to know more?

To help you digest all the updates, we’ve detailed all features, enhancements and fixes, in the 17.0 Release Notes for PaperCut NG and PaperCut MF.

If you have a current subscription to Premium Upgrade Assurance, your upgrade to Version 17.0 is already included. Otherwise, one-time upgrades may be purchased via our online order system or through your PaperCut supplier. And hey, added bonus – upgrading now will entitle you to all of the releases in the 17.x series throughout the year!

Posted in General, New & Noteworthy, Releases | 31 Comments

Starting 2017 By Investing In The Future

PaperCutters are always about pushing the envelope and are never interested in business as usual. We therefore don’t want to spit out some lame new years resolution as we statistically know that resolution fulfilment steadily drops down through the months of the year.

Life (and software) do not reset every new years (except back in Y2K), so we shouldn’t just start setting goals for goals sake, just because the calendar has changed over. We believe that chance favours the prepared mind and improving further on what we are already doing is critical. We aim for perfection in everything that we do regardless of the timelines, so instead of making a long list of resolutions, we’ve decided to start the year by investing in the future and inviting selected students from John Monash Science School over for a week to learn what we do, and how we do things here at PaperCut, ask questions and provide a fresh perspective to our mindshare.

We’ve had the privilege of hosting Angi, Josh, Reena, and Will to spend time with us and get exposed to PaperCut’s work and culture. These bright young minds aren’t just your regular students who were randomly picked. They are awardees, rigorously selected, and sponsored by PaperCut to join the 2016 SuperComputing Conference in Salt Lake City UT.

The John Monash Science school have carefully screened students through an essay submission asking about concrete action plans on what they will do in case they win.  The selection is then followed by interviews to help decide who shall be awarded a trip to the conference.

SuperComputing experience was nonetheless a great experience for the students as they were glad to report that they were absolutely jumping out of their skins while they were in the helm of super servers and cutting edge VR gadgets.  And to quote Reena: “I would stay there 24/7 if I could! It’s awesome!”

While their week at PaperCut HQ as a follow up activity cannot match that level of excitement, we certainly hope the activities we arranged for them compensated in their further discovery and learning.

From creating marketing videos, to tinkering with front end website animation code, to analysing customer engagement rates and sales funnel analytics, their curious minds questioned every detail of what they have seen. Their questions have inspired us to revisit our processes and procedures and go back to basics. PaperCut has definitely benefited from having them around, and we sincerely hope that their experience with us has been worthwhile for them.

Beyond showing them agile software development processes and clean code, we hope that they were able to see our constant commitment to building closer relationships with our customers and resellers, as well as our obsession to constantly push the ante of innovation.

We also hope that they’ve thoroughly experienced our “coffee culture”, that our (good) coffee builds constructive conversations around products and services, which in turn produce better software and solutions that help customers.

So here’s to 2017, stronger relationships, awesome software, and fantastic coffee. We love that you are reading this and please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can help in any way. You’ll be surprised at how we are eager to connect.

Posted in General, New & Noteworthy | 3 Comments