How to Reset a HP Wireless Printer Password

You are probably well aware of the fact that laptop and desktop computers can be hacked by cyber criminals. You also know that your smartphone may be vulnerable to hacking, too. Have you ever wondered whether the same thing can happen to your printer? Unfortunately, it seems that printing machines are no exception to the rule of hacking. Yes, printers can be hacked. In fact, attacks against printers take place more often than you can imagine. Such is applicable to both office and home printers.

The increasing number of attacks on printers is, partially, their users' fault. Speaking about companies and organizations, while they take effective security measures to ensure the safety of their network, private data, and products, though not always successfully, they do not apply the same security measures to printers. According to Spiceworks survey, only 41% of respondents deploy the same security solutions they use on laptop/desktop PCs to protect printers too, which explains why they get hacked so frequently. The situation will not change for the better unless we understand one simple truth – printers we use are easy targets to cybercriminals. At present, to our surprise, only 16% of respondents think that the problem is serious and plan to take immediate action to prevent security breaches and even data theft.

Printer hacking: a common problem that is often not taken seriously

For ordinary computer users, a printer hack may result in private data theft, a pile of ruined paper sheets, and a completely drained ink cartridge since hackers may start printing documents with random content out of the blue. However, the problem is much more serious for companies, institutions, and organizations. A hacked printer may not only result in confidentially issues, but, at the same time, it may considerably reduce consumer trust. Who would want to do business with a company that fails to ensure the safety of personal information? Even though all printer hacks surely do not appear on the news, they are relatively common. If you live in the U.S, you should be able to easily recall the incident that affected thousands of publicly accessible printers in North America back in 2016, including those located on several college campuses and even at the famous Princeton University. At that time, anti-Semitic fliers started coming out of printers spontaneously, and this is only one of dozens of existing examples. An anonymous hacker reported that he could have easily hijacked up to 300,000 organizations' and companies' printers if he wanted to in the blink of an eye due to weak security measures applied and the absence of any form of authentication. Printer hacking is a real threat, and it is very likely that these attacks will become even more malicious in nature in the near future.

Is it possible to prevent printer hacking?

Unfortunately, HP wireless printers are not immune to hacking despite claims that may have been made through security features or specific use circumstances. Hackers have recently discovered major vulnerabilities in more than 20 printers developed by popular manufacturers, including HP. It is suspected that the total number of vulnerable printers is considerably higher. If a printer can be easily accessed by unauthorized people, it is only a question of time when it gets hacked. Therefore, it is very important to take security measures.

First of all, it is advisable to reset a printer password. Whether your printer is still secured by the default password, or the password you use is one of the top 25 worst passwords ever, you must opt for a password reset to improve its security. Passwords are usually required to access network and wireless printers. Second, it is a must to keep printer firmware updated. You will no doubt prevent a printer hack by simply resetting a password to a more secure one and keeping the firmware up-to-date. You must also make sure there are no open ports that would enable hackers to access your printer without your knowledge. Last but not least, speaking about wireless printers in particular, you must ensure that your WiFi network is password-protected. Never connect your printer to a public/unsecured WiFi! Overall, your machine's security is highly dependent on the condition of three facets: hardware, software, and secure networking.

Imagine that a password is a shield that can protect you from the spears hackers throw. It can protect your data from prying eyes and make it impossible for hackers to access your devices. The first thing you should do if you have decided to improve your printer security is to reset a password set on it. Since there are situations when users find resetting a password on an HP printer quite a challenge, we have prepared steps that will help you to reset a wireless printer password.

How to reset an HP wireless printer password manually

1. Access the Home menu on your printer.
2. Click the Right Arrow.
3. Select the Setup menu.
4. Select Network.
5. Scroll down until you see Restore Network Defaults. Click it.
6. Click Yes.
7. Wait until default settings are restored.
8. Go to Control Panel tap Win+R, insert Control Panel in the box, and click OK) on your computer.
9. Access Devices and Printers.
10. Right-click on your wireless HP printer icon.
11. Click Properties.
12. Click on the Password icon.
13. Enter your new password.
14. Save the changes.

Bonus Tip: In case you cannot come up a new secure password yourself after a password reset, let Cyclonis Password Manager generate it for you automatically. Install the tool, click Tools, and access Password Generator. You could also store the generated password in a password-protected note under Private Notes to recall it when needed and prevent password loss.

A printing machine may seem to be completely harmless, but, believe us, it may be turned against you or your business. A hacked printer can do almost anything, from stealing personal information to making it impossible to print a single document. Since printers are everywhere these days, it is not a surprise that they are one of the prime cyber criminals' targets. Do not fall victim to a cyber attack – opt for a printer password reset today (check How to reset an HP wireless printer password manually instructions above).