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#1
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
EFF reveals codes in Xerox printers
NEW YORK (AP) -- Just because a document from a color laser printer doesn't carry your name doesn't mean no one can trace it back to you, privacy advocates warn. The Electronic Frontier Foundation says it has cracked the tracking codes embedded in Xerox Corp.'s DocuColor color laser printers. Such codes are just one way that manufacturers employ technology to help governments fight currency counterfeiting. "Underground democracy movements ... will always need the anonymity of simple paper documents, but this technology makes it easier for governments to find dissenters," said Lee Tien, EFF senior staff attorney. "Even worse, it shows how the government and private industry make backroom deals to weaken our privacy by compromising everyday equipment like printers." Researchers found patterns of yellow dots arranged in 15 by 8 grids and printed repeatedly over every color page, said Seth Schoen, a staff technologist at the San Francisco-based civil-liberties group. The dots are visible only with a magnifying glass or under blue light, which causes the yellow dots to appear black. By analyzing test pages printed out by supporters worldwide and by staffers at various FedEx Kinko's locations, researchers found that some of the dots correspond to the printers' serial numbers. Other dots refer to the date and time of the printing. Xerox spokesman Bill McKee would not provide details about the technology. He said the company "does not routinely share any information about its customers," though it does respond to requests from law enforcement... The EFF is now studying other printers from well-known manufacturers with similar tracking codes... Adobe Systems Inc. has acknowledged quietly adding the government software to its Photoshop software at the request of regulators and international bankers. But David Skidmore, a spokesman at the Federal Reserve Board, said that the technology, known as the Counterfeit Deterrence System, was aimed mostly at personal computers and ink-jet printers - not the high-end machines like DocuColor. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See pic at http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000663063763/ |
#2
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
No it isnt, at most its recording what printer
a particular document was created on. SSW wrote: EFF reveals codes in Xerox printers NEW YORK (AP) -- Just because a document from a color laser printer doesn't carry your name doesn't mean no one can trace it back to you, privacy advocates warn. The Electronic Frontier Foundation says it has cracked the tracking codes embedded in Xerox Corp.'s DocuColor color laser printers. Such codes are just one way that manufacturers employ technology to help governments fight currency counterfeiting. "Underground democracy movements ... will always need the anonymity of simple paper documents, but this technology makes it easier for governments to find dissenters," said Lee Tien, EFF senior staff attorney. "Even worse, it shows how the government and private industry make backroom deals to weaken our privacy by compromising everyday equipment like printers." Researchers found patterns of yellow dots arranged in 15 by 8 grids and printed repeatedly over every color page, said Seth Schoen, a staff technologist at the San Francisco-based civil-liberties group. The dots are visible only with a magnifying glass or under blue light, which causes the yellow dots to appear black. By analyzing test pages printed out by supporters worldwide and by staffers at various FedEx Kinko's locations, researchers found that some of the dots correspond to the printers' serial numbers. Other dots refer to the date and time of the printing. Xerox spokesman Bill McKee would not provide details about the technology. He said the company "does not routinely share any information about its customers," though it does respond to requests from law enforcement... The EFF is now studying other printers from well-known manufacturers with similar tracking codes... Adobe Systems Inc. has acknowledged quietly adding the government software to its Photoshop software at the request of regulators and international bankers. But David Skidmore, a spokesman at the Federal Reserve Board, said that the technology, known as the Counterfeit Deterrence System, was aimed mostly at personal computers and ink-jet printers - not the high-end machines like DocuColor. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See pic at http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000663063763/ |
#3
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
"SSW" wrote in message ... moocho snippage But David Skidmore, a spokesman at the Federal Reserve Board, said that the technology, known as the Counterfeit Deterrence System, was aimed mostly at personal computers and ink-jet printers - not the high-end machines like DocuColor. So don't go using your equipment for counterfeiting operations. |
#4
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
Of course this is also a way to ensure that you eventually have to buy
another yellow ink cartridge, even if all your printing is in black. Shaun Eli www.BrainChampagne.com Brain Champagne: Clever Comedy for the Smart Mind (sm) |
#5
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
FROM NOW ON!
DO NOT REGISTER YOUR PRINTER WITH THE MANUFACTURER!! ER "SSW" wrote in message ... EFF reveals codes in Xerox printers NEW YORK (AP) -- Just because a document from a color laser printer doesn't carry your name doesn't mean no one can trace it back to you, privacy advocates warn. The Electronic Frontier Foundation says it has cracked the tracking codes embedded in Xerox Corp.'s DocuColor color laser printers. Such codes are just one way that manufacturers employ technology to help governments fight currency counterfeiting. "Underground democracy movements ... will always need the anonymity of simple paper documents, but this technology makes it easier for governments to find dissenters," said Lee Tien, EFF senior staff attorney. "Even worse, it shows how the government and private industry make backroom deals to weaken our privacy by compromising everyday equipment like printers." Researchers found patterns of yellow dots arranged in 15 by 8 grids and printed repeatedly over every color page, said Seth Schoen, a staff technologist at the San Francisco-based civil-liberties group. The dots are visible only with a magnifying glass or under blue light, which causes the yellow dots to appear black. By analyzing test pages printed out by supporters worldwide and by staffers at various FedEx Kinko's locations, researchers found that some of the dots correspond to the printers' serial numbers. Other dots refer to the date and time of the printing. Xerox spokesman Bill McKee would not provide details about the technology. He said the company "does not routinely share any information about its customers," though it does respond to requests from law enforcement... The EFF is now studying other printers from well-known manufacturers with similar tracking codes... Adobe Systems Inc. has acknowledged quietly adding the government software to its Photoshop software at the request of regulators and international bankers. But David Skidmore, a spokesman at the Federal Reserve Board, said that the technology, known as the Counterfeit Deterrence System, was aimed mostly at personal computers and ink-jet printers - not the high-end machines like DocuColor. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- See pic at http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000663063763/ |
#6
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 17:02:42 -0700, "ER" wrote:
FROM NOW ON! DO NOT REGISTER YOUR PRINTER WITH THE MANUFACTURER!! Better solution: used printer or copy machines from anonymous source like thrift shop, yard sales, etc where new buyer can't be tracked at all. Not eBay or online places since the seller would have buyer's address. Let the original owner sweat while you make millions out of counterfeit $20 bills. -- When you hear the toilet flush, and hear the words "uh oh", it's already too late. - by anonymous Mother in Austin, TX To reply, replace digi.mon with phreaker.net |
#7
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
"ian lincoln" wrote:
So don't go using your equipment for counterfeiting operations. Or for printing political leaflets if you live in China or Saudi Arabia or Zimbabwe, etc etc etc. ************************************************** *** It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. ....Krishnamurti |
#8
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
EFF reveals codes in Xerox printers
NEW YORK (AP) -- Just because a document from a color laser printer doesn't carry your name doesn't mean no one can trace it back to you, privacy advocates warn. The Electronic Frontier Foundation says it has cracked the tracking codes embedded in Xerox Corp.'s DocuColor color laser printers. Such codes are just one way that manufacturers employ technology to help governments fight currency counterfeiting. This is old news - over 2 years old. People in the know can find revised firmware that disables this 'feature.' P.S. Don't ask me how. Do your own legwork. |
#9
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
"ER" wrote:
FROM NOW ON! DO NOT REGISTER YOUR PRINTER WITH THE MANUFACTURER!! RIght. And did you pay cash? Many registers record the serial number of gear like printers... While knowing who owns a printer is likely to be of some interest. I suspect the main usage now is to tie a printer to a given person after the fact... As in "Your honor, we found counterfeit bills passed at business A, B, C & D and the printer used to print those counterfeits was in the possession of Joe." |
#10
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Yes, your color printer is spying on you
Impmon writes:
On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 17:02:42 -0700, "ER" wrote: FROM NOW ON! DO NOT REGISTER YOUR PRINTER WITH THE MANUFACTURER!! Better solution: used printer or copy machines from anonymous source like thrift shop, yard sales, etc where new buyer can't be tracked at all. Not eBay or online places since the seller would have buyer's address. Let the original owner sweat while you make millions out of counterfeit $20 bills. Safety tip: Don't buy your used color printer or copier from this guy |
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