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New Technique Could Trace Documents By Printer

Posted by timothy on from the better-than-a-notch-in-the-e dept.

An anonymous reader submits "From this article at Purdue News, 'Researchers at Purdue University have developed a method that will enable authorities to trace documents to specific printers, a technique law-enforcement agencies could use to investigate counterfeiting, forgeries and homeland security matters.' The neat thing is that they are exploiting the characteristics of the print process itself to identify the printer." <update> One of the folks e-mailed me to say that the HP LaserJet 9000dn was one of the big ones tested with.

5 of 287 comments (clear)

  1. Big Brother knows.... by FortKnox · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure, it sounds nice for the gov't to track down bad guys, but what if the technology to do this becomes public? Most of the /. population won't be able to pass notes to girls without them finding out who its from!!!

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    Good quote, too many chars. Seriously, the slashdot 120 char limit sucks!
  2. Obviously by Donoho · · Score: 5, Funny

    They got the memo about cover letters on their TPS Reports.

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    Michalangelo Progr
  3. Hence the chisel and tablet by FerretFrottage · · Score: 5, Funny

    ....I use to use one of those automatic birds that would carve the letters into the stone tablets, but the cost of replacement beaks was very high (and BTW, only use OEM beaks, 3rd party beaks void your bird warranty)

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    "Look Lois, the two symbols of the Republican Party: an elephant, and a fat white guy who is threatened by change."
  4. Great! by User+956 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Then maybe they can finally track those unverifiable CBS documents back to Karl Rove.

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    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  5. Reminiscing by gregarican · · Score: 4, Funny

    I recall a Brady Bunch episode where Alice was typing letters and sending them to Jan to make her feel special. She was feeling overlooked, being the middle daughter and all. Well the Bradys traced the letters back to Alice's typewriter because it dropped its Y's. Not sure what all of this means, but it seems ontopic.