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Xerox Exploits Printer Flaws To Make Pseudo-Holograms
Red Wolf writes "A chance discovery by Xerox lets printers superimpose glossy images on regular printouts, creating the possibility for document authentication along the lines of holograms on credit cards. The new technology, called Glossmark, can use ordinary office printers to superimpose a glossy image on an ordinary printed document in a way that can't be photocopied or otherwise easily reproduced."
Who wants to let me borrow his credit cards?
It's not a bug, it's a feature!
If it's easily available on a commercially available printer, how does it provide great security?
Isn't running an already-printed page through a printer a violation of the DMCA or something?
Where the value of X-Mailer: is the true measure of a man...
way that can't be photocopied or otherwise easily reproduced
Uh, except for on another Xerox printer?
You couldn't copy the original image. You'd have to have to separate source images (the bg and the layover) to counterfeit successfully. It's just another wall, really.
And then Xerox gives up the technology, somebody else picks it up and makes a bundle.
Let's see... Mouse, GUI, Ethernet, Palm Graffiti, WYSIWYG word processors, and more
--You will rephrase your request for me to go to hell. Goto statements are not acceptable programming constructs
"Can be produced" isn't the same as "can be reproduced." Sure, I guess you could print out your own copies -- if you had access to the original images. If I understand correctly, most of the point is that you can't just scan the image and retain the glossmark effect.
From reading the article (yes I read actually read it), it would seem that only the "wax" type color laserjet printers have this ability. There was a Slashdot article a while back that dealt with color laser printers and alternatives to inkjets. The news.com.com article does specify the models or type of printers where this was discovered. Any other info on this?
I'm sure some hackers will try to do some mods on their printers to control this as well. {cough}fake holograms{/cough}
On another note, how cool a job do these "Xerox Scientists" have? I need to get a job where I can hardware hack like these guys.
MMORPG fan-boy? Prove your worth
I hope this gets used on currency too. It's already so easy to counterfit U.S. money, using Xerox printers. This would be an easily replicated security feature that would draw attention away from the flaws in the printing process.
So the ink is a little smudged, but look at the glossy square with JFK in it. It has to be real!
Companies are going to adopt this technology because they can create an "uncopyable" product (probably tickets, coupons, and other vouchers), and they already have the technology in their office.
In the mean time, some counterfeiter who has the same technology in their office or home will simply copy the main image and recreate the superimposed image in a graphics program. Then he will be able to print "authentic" tickets or whatever whenever he wants.
The number one blockade in stopping conterfeiters is the machine that produces the items they want to counterfeit, not the complexity of the artwork or image. Sure, the complex image and holograph help, but that is mainly because consumer level and most business level products can't produce images that complex. Give me a few months and I could make a damn good couterfeit $20 bill if I only had the paper and the press that makes them. It wouldn't be perfect, but the average cashier wouldn't notice.
If I drive fast enough at the red light, it'll appear green.
It doesn't look really useful for preventing professional counterfieting, but for "casual" things [retail reciepts, HR files, inter-company corrospandance, etc.] It could come in handy for quick verification.
I suppose the next step would be ATMs that print money???
How can this be legal under the DMCA? I mean they are obviously circumventing their own protection scheme. Has anyone notified SCO, the MPAA, the RIAA, or better yet the FBI?!?!
Yet another sad commentary on the rampant cover-ups of the true nature of the pseudo-hologram industry.
A man's reach must exceed his grasp, or what's an erection for?
Tickets to the Superbowl: $0
Credit card to charge up $9000 in stereo equipment: $0
Same credit card, Quad-CPU, 16 gigs RAM, 1 terrabyte machine with all the latest blings: $0
A lawyer that can use the "it was a bug in the printer" defense to successfully get you off: Priceless.
*** *** You're just jealous 'cause the voices talk to me... ***
What, like the ridiculously high licensing fees on your mouse, your GUI, your network... ;-)
Using HTML in email is like putting sound effects on your phone calls. Just say <strong>no</strong>.
They apparently are considering using the exploit decoratively instead of for security, since it is always possible to forge something made by "common office printers."
No wonder Xerox is struggling. While other companies are busy developing new products Xerox techs are destracted by shiny objects.
"Oooh, shiny!!!"
A lawyer that can use the "it was a bug in the printer" defense to successfully get you off: Priceless.
Paying that lawyer with the same card: even more priceless.