A thermal printer is a type of printer that uses heat to produce images or text on specially coated thermal paper. Unlike inkjet or laser printers, it does not require ink, toner, or ribbons. Instead, the print head selectively heats areas of the paper, causing a chemical reaction that creates the desired output. Thermal printers are widely used for printing receipts, labels, tickets, and barcodes due to their speed, low noise, and reliability. In cybersecurity, they may be considered when assessing physical data leakage risks, as printed receipts can contain sensitive information.