Is there a way to save a file from the network printer queue?

Question

Recently I printed something using secure print with an ID card. When I checked my printer queue, I saw the total queue of all documents of colleagues who are using the same printer.

First of all, I would like to know if this is standard or common use. I mean I do see the size of the document and the time it has been sent to the printer.

I could click on these documents and see some minor details, like login name... Since I am interested, I asked my colleague to send a file to the printer and I tried to modify something. This was not possible which is good.

But is there a way to extract that printer queue? Or asked the other way around, am I sure that my colleagues don't see my printed files?

It's a very new system for us and the project is still going, so in case there might be a security issue I would like to report it.

Answer 1

The printer administrators can see the content of your files in the queue because it is their job and they have been authorised to have that access.

A secured print queue is supposed to block other people's access to other people's files. If it works or not depends on how it is implemented.

It is normal for the queue to list the username, file size and file name in the queue so that if a file is causing a problem, then the users can track down the file owner to fix things. The common scenario is that someone sends a huge file that fills the queue and blocks everyone else. I can then look at the queue, see that Ray has sent a massive file, and I can contact Ray to remove the specific file from the queue.

So, as you have described it, there is no security issue, but you are correct that the owner, file name, and file size discloses a lot of information to potentially unauthorised people. This is a training issue in the use of printers.