Windows Protected Print Mode – Secure Printing in Windows

This article explores Windows Protected Print Mode (PPM) in Windows 10 and Windows 11. It’s a security feature that safeguards sensitive print jobs in Windows. I will delve into the purpose of Windows PPM, functionality, and benefits, focusing on its implementation, advanced security measures, and practical troubleshooting techniques to ensure secure and reliable printing.

Windows Protected Print Mode adds to Internet Printing Protocol (IPP) support in the Windows Print System by only allowing Mopria-certified printers and preventing third-party print drivers. Many Mopria-certified printers load manufacturer drivers by default. These restrictions enable Microsoft to provide security that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.

Introduction to Windows Protected Printing Mode

Windows Protected Print Mode is a security feature that ensures confidential and protected print jobs are printed securely within a networked environment. In a time of data breaches and unauthorized access, protected printing modes provide a robust solution to safeguard sensitive documents from potential threats. This mode employs a variety of advanced security measures, including data encryption, user authentication, and secure job storage, to prevent unauthorized access and tampering during the printing process.

Why should I enable Windows Protected Print Mode?

There are many reasons to enable and utilize Windows Protected Print Mode (PPM) in your environment. Let me explain the most prevalent.

1. Enhanced Security – With PPM, all print jobs are encrypted and securely transmitted over the network, reducing the risk of attack threats and interception. Sensitive documents are protected throughout the entire printing process.
2. Regulation Compliance – In industries subject to strict compliance (healthcare, government, finance, etc.), PPM helps meet data protection and privacy requirements.
3. User Authentication – PPM requires user authentication before printing, ensuring only authorized users can access and retrieve printed documents.
4. Audit and Accountability – PPM allows for enhanced tracking and auditing of print jobs, boosting your ability to monitor and account for all print activities. This is a proactive vs reactive approach in maintaining another area of security in your enterprise.

Key features and functionality

IT Pros have been waiting a very long time for Windows PPM. The key features here are profound, especially from a technical and secure infrastructure standpoint. It is also a wonderful example of Microsoft ‘letting go of legacy and compatibility’ and moving forward meaningfully.

Let me describe the main features of Windows PPM here.

• No more print drivers – PPM uses the Windows modern print stack, eliminating the need for third-party drivers. Yes, you read that right. This greatly simplifies printer management and ensures a consistent and reliable printing experience for all connected users.
• Secure Job Storage – Print jobs are stored securely on the printer until the authorized user retrieves them physically.
• Data Encryption – Print jobs are encrypted during transmission – and security is maintained throughout the entire process.
• User Authentication – As stated above, only authorized and authenticated users can create and send print jobs.
• Compatibility with Mopria-Certified Printers– PPM works exclusively with printers that are Mopria-certified. Meaning, there is a single universal print driver installed. That is it, no other drivers are needed, or supported. Print Management IT Pros have been dreaming about this for decades…
  • A Mopria-certified printer is a printer that meets the standard set by the Mopria Alliance, an organization that develops and promotes mobile printing standards. 
• Improved Security – By prohibiting third-party print drivers, PPM mitigates many vulnerabilities associated with legacy printing methods, not to mention the hassle of managing and troubleshooting print drivers wreaking havoc on your users’ computers.
• Simplified Printing Experience – Windows Protected Printing Mode offers a streamlined and consistent printing experience, regardless of your computer’s architecture. This is a boon for your end users’ experience when printing. ‘Print and Forget…’.
• Print Spooler – basic print spooler tasks now run in the USER security context, not SYSTEM. Because print drivers no longer run in the SYSTEM context, security is enhanced with the Windows Print Spooler service.

How to enable Windows Protected Print Mode

There are two main approaches to enabling Windows Protected Print Mode. You can use the Settings app in Windows and Group Policy to push the feature out seamlessly to a section or all of your environment. I’ll show you both methods here.

Settings app

On Windows 11, click the Start button, and click on the Settings app. Click ‘Bluetooth & devices‘ on the left and then Printers & scanners.

Under the ‘Printer preferences‘ section, you’ll find ‘Windows protected print mode‘. Click the ‘Set Up‘ button on the right.

You’re asked to confirm enabling Windows protected print mode. You want to make sure all the printers you intend to use are compatible with Windows PPM. You can visit the Mopria website to search for your printer models.

Group Policy

You can also utilize Group Policy if you don’t want to visit every one of your user’s computers. Hah. I’ll explain how to use the Local Group Policy Editor to locate the specific policy. You can then use the Group Policy Management Console on your main remote workstation to configure the Group Policy Object and assign it to the appropriate domains and OUs in your environment.

Open the Group Policy Editor by clicking the Start button, typing in ‘gpedit.msc‘, and pressing Enter.

Browse to Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Printers.

Locate the policy named ‘Configure Windows protected print‘ and double-click on it.

Click the Enabled option and press OK.

What challenges may I encounter transitioning to Windows Protected Print Mode?

Although Windows PMM brings many benefits as I have described above, there are a good number of issues and challenges you’ll likely encounter when migrating to this mode in your environment. Let me list the hottest items here.

• Compatibility – This will likely be the most prevalent issue you’ll encounter. After you enable Windows PMM on a device, all non-Mopria-certified print drivers will be disabled/deleted. You will no longer be able to send print jobs to a printer not compatible with this mode. That it includes software print drivers, including the OneNote print driver for both the desktop and the ‘OneNote for Windows 10’ app.
• Driver Removal – Existing print queues and drivers on a computer will be permanently deleted. You will not be able to restore them if you disable Windows PPM. You will need to re-download the print drivers and install the printer from scratch again.
• Initial Setup/Training – The initial configuration and due diligence that goes into identifying all compatible printers, setting up Group Policy, etc is time-consuming and will need to be planned out. Training your users on the new print process, although straightforward, still needs to be taken into consideration.
• Potential Downtime/Cost – During your transition, there may be some downtime for your users as you work to implement new printers and queues in your environment. Also, purchasing new Mopria-certified printers will undoubtedly cost you some capital expenditures.

Advanced security is at the heart of Windows Protected Print Mode

Windows PPM’s advanced security measures are seamlessly integrated with Windows’ print management tools, offering a user-friendly interface for configuring and managing security settings. This tight and seamless integration simplifies the process of implementing and maintaining secure printing practices across an organization.

There have been many security issues surrounding Windows print security. Here are two notable ones to mention:

• Print Nightmare: A critical vulnerability was discovered in 2020 that allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code with system privileges by exploiting the Windows Print Spooler service. Hackers were able to install malicious print drivers and gain full control over print servers.
• Stuxnet: Although this was not a direct print-related issue, back in 2010, Stuxnet was a well-known example of a cyberattack that exploited a few vulnerabilities, including those in the Windows Print Spooler service. Stuxnet was very sophisticated and designed to target Iranian nuclear facilities and caused considerable damage to nuclear centrifuges, including IT costs.

By placing advanced security at the forefront, Windows Protected Printing Mode ensures that print jobs are handled with the utmost care and protection, making it an essential feature for any organization that values data security.

Use cases & benefits of Windows PPM

Let me finish this article by highlighting the most prevalent use cases for Windows Protected Printing Mode.

1. Healthcare Institutions – Windows PPM offers easy-to-understand compliance requirements including HIPAA and other patient records confidentiality.
2. Corporate Environments – Ensuring sensitive documents like contracts, financial statements, and HR payroll documents, are printed securely. User Authentication forces only authorized employees can access and retrieve print jobs.
3. Educational Institutions – Student Privacy is adhered to by protecting student records and exam printouts. With controlled access, only designated staff can print sensitive documents including administrative records.
4. Legal Firms – Client confidentiality, obviously paramount in this field, is protected by the requirement of user authentication for printing all documents. Requiring users to authenticate (PIN) at the print device itself assures everyone that only authorized users can pick up their printouts.