Spreading Malware Through Printers

[guzhogi]

I'm an IT guy at an elementary school & I was just updating the firmware on some laser printers. I was thinking, would it be possible for hackers to alter these firmware files so that printers can spread malware? Since printers do send information back to computers (ink levels, management info, etc.), couldn't printers be hacked to send malware, also?

 

[r.j.s]

While may be technically possible, it would really be impractical. It's much easier to write the malware for the computer directly.

 

[Consultant]

It would work only for windows and there are other ways to do it for windows.

 

[guzhogi]

OK, cool. I was just wondering if it were possible to use the printer as a delivery system.