Lexmark International
In 2016, Lexmark International agreed to sell to investors, including China-based Apex Technology, for $3.6 billion.
In recent months, Lexmark announced it would help U.S. and European businesses produce devices that can be remotely monitored, thanks to the Internet of Things.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network that connects things and devices through sensors, software, and other technologies, allowing objects and devices to collect and exchange data with each other and with a central hub control. For example, Lexmark operates its Internet of Things network consisting of 1.2 million office printers, each with more than 100 sensors that monitor ink and other details affecting printer performance.
In 2019, the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General (DODIG) criticized the Army and Air Force for the purchase of printers from Lexmark. The China-based company was accused of having connections to the Chinese military and the country’s nuclear and cyber espionage programs, ZD Net reported.
“These vulnerabilities could allow remote attackers to use a connected Lexmark printer to conduct cyber espionage or launch a denial of service attack on a DoD network,” the DODIG said.
A study by Dr. Roslyn Layton updated in 2020 offers a similar warning. The study reads: “Hardware and software made by China [company] could facilitate data transfers to China, where the Chinese Communist Party or stakeholders process data. … Lexmark has been reported for repeatedly disregarding cyber security threats and espionage threats. The company’s printers are used as a means of network penetration. Printers, one of the least secure Internet of Things devices, are where sensitive data is stored on hard drives from print jobs that are performed every day.”