Scanning technology can be used to help safeguard businesses against cybercrimes and data breaches.

By digitising physical documents, scanning reduces the risk of data being stolen, misplaced or damaged in its physical form. Once converted, the data can be stored in a secure virtual environment, often with layers of encryption and access controls to ensure its integrity, confidentiality and availability.

Digital document management systems act as a frontline defence, protecting data from physical risks such as fire or theft while offering cybersecurity features that deter online threats.

"Today’s scanning technology is equipped with advanced features that make it a powerful tool in cybersecurity," says Epson South Africa country manager Timothy Thomas. "Devices like the Epson WorkForce DS-790WN are designed with features such as advanced authentication, allowing businesses to set up multiple user accounts locally or remotely, ensuring that only authorised personnel can access sensitive documents. This level of control makes it an essential part of any business’s data protection strategy."

Many scanning technologies are equipped with built-in threat detection capabilities. Scanners can identify and block malicious code embedded in scanned documents and support secure file transfer protocols (such as encrypted data transfers) to prevent interception when documents are uploaded to storage systems or shared between employees.

Modern scanning solutions can also integrate with cloud storage and cybersecurity systems to monitor scanned files for threats like malware or ransomware.

Transitioning to secure digital storage solutions can help businesses reduce the risks of human error, such as misplaced documents, exposure of sensitive information or data loss, while improving organisation, compliance and efficiency.

The Epson WorkForce DS-790WN scanner also offers advanced features such as secure file transfer, high-speed scanning, and real-time threat detection to help proactively protect data.