In modern offices, printers and multifunction devices are often overlooked as security risks. Yet networked machines such as the Brother MFC‑L8690CDW may store print jobs, scan data, user credentials or system logs. A poorly secured printer can become a vector for data leaks, unauthorised access or network intrusion.
This article is intended for IT managers, compliance officers, office administrators and procurement decision makers who wish to understand whether the MFC‑L8690CDW is suitably secure for business environments. It explains the security features offered by the device, explores their robustness and limitations, and offers practical advice for configuring and maintaining printer security in a business context.
Key Security Features of the MFC‑L8690CDW
The Brother MFC‑L8690CDW comes with several built‑in security mechanisms intended to safeguard data, control access and integrate with business networks. Based on the manufacturer’s datasheet and official specifications, the main security capabilities include:
Network Protocol Security
The printer supports standard wired (10Base‑T/100Base‑TX/1000Base‑T) and wireless (IEEE 802.11b/g/n) network interfaces. Its security features include support for IPsec, 802.1x network authentication, and network user authentication.
Secure Function Lock 3.0
This feature allows administrators to restrict access to certain functions (such as colour printing, scanning or fax) to specific users or groups, using user authentication and PINs.
Secure Print
Secure Print ensures that sensitive documents are not immediately printed but held until the user arrives at the machine and enters a PIN at the control panel. Once printed, the job is cleared from memory.
Active Directory (AD) / LDAP Integration
The device supports integration with Active Directory or LDAP for authentication, which allows businesses to manage user credentials centrally.
Other Protections
The datasheet also notes features such as setting locks (to prevent configuration changes), and that the device is designed to meet business security challenges. Additional product listings also mention network user authentication and advanced security controls.
Taken together, these features suggest the MFC‑L8690CDW is designed with security awareness appropriate for many business settings.
Strengths of Its Security Design
When properly configured, the MFC‑L8690CDW’s security features provide several strong protections:
Controlled Access to Functions
Secure Function Lock allows you to restrict which functions particular users may use. That means a user may be allowed to print in black and white but prevented from using colour or scanning, depending on policy.
Delayed Job Release
Secure Print prevents confidential documents from being left in the output tray. A user must authenticate at the device to release the job, reducing the risk of sensitive documents being picked up by others.
Network Authentication and Encryption
Support for 802.1x and IPsec helps ensure that the printer is accessed only by authorised network devices and that communications to/from the device can be encrypted, reducing the risk of interception.
Centralised Credential Management
If integrated with Active Directory, user accounts and access can be managed centrally, and access removed or changed immediately when staff leave or roles change.
Configuration Protection
By locking settings and allowing administrative passwords, the printer settings themselves can be safeguarded against casual tampering by users.
Limitations and Considerations
No device is perfectly secure, and many security features depend on correct configuration and ongoing maintenance. Here are some of the limitations and caveats you should be aware of:
Default Settings Must Be Changed
If default passwords are not changed, or configuration locks are not enabled, many of these security features may be bypassed or ineffective.
Secure Print Only Protects Until Print Time
Secure Print prevents the job from printing until authentication, but it does not protect data during transit unless encryption is enabled. Also, once the print is released, the document is printed and the memory cleared ─ the device does not necessarily maintain a persistent audit log of every action.
Firmware Updates and Compatibility Risk
Firmware updates are a double‑edged sword. They may fix security vulnerabilities, but occasionally may break compatibility with third‑party toners or introduce bugs. Care must be taken to test updates in a controlled environment. Reports from users in forums show that after firmware changes, non‑genuine consumables may be rejected.
Encryption Scope Is Limited
Although the device supports features like IPsec, encryption may not be used by default. You may need to enable it manually. Encryption is effective for data in motion, but does not necessarily cover all stored or cached job data unless overwrite or purge functions are used.
User Misuse or Weak PINs
Security features like PINs or user authentication rely on staff selecting strong credentials and not sharing them. Weak or predictable PINs reduce efficacy.
Physical Access Risk
If unauthorised persons gain access to the printer hardware (e.g. by entering the server room or device closet), they could access internal ports or bypass software controls.
Best Practices for Maximising Security
To ensure that the MFC‑L8690CDW delivers the level of protection your business requires, consider these practical recommendations:
- Change default administrator and user passwords immediately after installation
- Enable Secure Function Lock and restrict sensitive roles to authorised users
- Use Secure Print for all confidential or sensitive documents
- Enable encryption of network communications (IPsec, TLS) wherever possible
- Integrate with AD or LDAP so access can be centrally controlled
- Disable unused network protocols or ports to reduce attack surface
- Schedule firmware updates after testing them in a controlled environment
- Regularly clear or schedule purge of any job cache or stored print history
- Place the device in secure physical locations and limit access to hardware
- Train users in best practices such as PIN confidentiality and retrieving prints promptly
Common Questions and Misunderstandings
A frequent question is whether Secure Print makes the device unusably slower. In practice, the delay is only until you walk to the device and enter the PIN. The printing itself proceeds at normal speed.
Some believe that because this is not a “security printer” line, it is inadequate. In fact, many business devices include strong protections when configured properly. The difference often lies in deployment and policy, not hardware.
Another misconception is that enabling every security feature will degrade performance. In general, the overhead is minimal, particularly in business environments with steady usage.
Some also assume that a factory reset wipes all data. That is often not the case. Full sanitisation or job overwrite must be configured if data remanence is a concern.
Finally, some firms believe that network segmentation alone is sufficient. While segmentation helps, internal risks such as user access, unsecured settings or local print trays also require defence.
Conclusion
Overall, the Brother MFC‑L8690CDW offers a solid security foundation for business use. Its features such as Secure Function Lock, Secure Print, network authentication and encryption support provide meaningful protection when correctly enabled. It can be trusted in many standard office contexts, assuming the device is properly configured, maintained, and integrated into your broader security policies.
However, it is not foolproof. Its security depends heavily on configuration, control of user access, and adherence to best practices. In environments with high regulatory or threat profiles, additional layers such as print management software, auditing or dedicated security appliances may be advisable.
Should you like, I can prepare a security checklist specific to the MFC‑L8690CDW or compare its security posture against other models. Do you want me to do that?