HP CEO Defends Controversial Printer Policy, Citing Security Concerns

HP CEO Enrique Lores defended the company’s practice of disabling certain printers when users install third-party ink cartridges, saying it’s necessary to protect customers from security risks.

In an interview with CNBC Television last week, Lores said HP printers are designed to work only with HP cartridges to guard against “embedded viruses” that could spread to networks via printers.

“We have seen that you can embed viruses in the cartridges,” Lores said. “Through the cartridge, [the virus can] go to the printer, [and then] from the printer, go to the network.”

Protecting IP is the real focus

The policy has been controversial, with critics arguing that it unfairly forces customers to buy HP’s own ink supplies. But Lores said it’s aimed at safeguarding users and their data.

When we see people making modifications to our printers to enable the use of third-party ink, we do put mechanisms in to try and protect that IP,” Lores said. “And it’s not about the ink itself, it’s about the IP that’s in the printer.”

“We are very focused on security,” he said. “We want to make sure that when a customer uses an HP printer, they have the best experience, and they are protected.”

HP subscription ink program tactics

HP’s subscription ink programs, like Instant Ink, allow customers to pay a monthly fee for ink rather than buying cartridges outright. The programs are a key part of HP’s business model as the company transitions to service-based revenue.

Some customers and third-party ink vendors have criticized HP’s bricking of certain printers, saying it limits choice and unfairly locks customers into HP’s ink ecosystem. However, HP argues that the technology in its printers is proprietary and that modifications to accept third-party ink endanger HP’s ability to provide the level of service customers expect.

HP’s comments highlight the tension between a company’s desire to protect its intellectual property and business models versus providing flexibility and choice for customers. With printers increasingly connected and software-driven, the line between ownership and subscription is blurring. For HP, ink subscriptions represent a path to deeper, ongoing customer relationships in an era where standalone printer sales are declining. But that path isn’t always straightforward, as HP’s bricking of certain modified printers shows.

Evidence of report

Lores’ comments come after research firm Actionable Intelligence published a report in 2022 detailing how certain HP printers stop functioning when users install third-party ink cartridges. According to the report, the printers display an error message saying, “One or more cartridges appear to be damaged. Remove them and replace with new cartridges.” The only way to restore functionality is to replace the cartridges with genuine HP cartridges, the report said.

The policy applies to some HP inkjet printers released since 2016, though not all models are affected. HP says on its website that it employs “cartridge protection” to block some third-party ink cartridges, citing security and quality concerns. The company recommends using only genuine HP ink cartridges to ensure the best performance and experience.

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