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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.

6 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)

    --
    "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. Note to counterfeiters by multiplexo · · Score: 5, Insightful
    Purchase printer with cash. Do not register printer. Dispose of printer after a certain number of counterfeiting runs. Counterfeit more money to purchase more printers, repeat as necessary.

    As far as those who are concerned about the government secretly tracking them down by the printer signatures in their anonymous manifestoes I think there are other things to worry about from the government.

    --
    cheap labor conservatives - they want to keep you hungry enough to be thankful for minimum wage.
  6. Re:Already in place. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ok, you are so full of shit you stink from here.

    your printers are incapable of printing less than it's maximum dpi. and no laser or inkjet let alone a dye-sublimation printer is capable of microscopic printing.

    nice of you to make up crap, but let's at least make it slightly believeable.

    show me a proof before you start throwing about lies as truth. Espically when it goes against physics and mechanical capabilities.