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Hidden Codes in Printers Cracked

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the big-brother-pwnz-you dept.

r84x writes "A research team led by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) recently broke the code behind tiny tracking dots that some color laser printers secretly hide in every document. The U.S. Secret Service admitted that the tracking information is part of a deal struck with selected color laser printer manufacturers, ostensibly to identify counterfeiters. However, the nature of the private information encoded in each document was not previously known. "We've found that the dots from at least one line of printers encode the date and time your document was printed, as well as the serial number of the printer," said EFF Staff Technologist Seth David Schoen."

5 of 562 comments (clear)

  1. Maybe its not a weakness by suso · · Score: 5, Funny

    Its a good thing that I can't print. [warning: experimental music made from printer noises]

  2. Printer Friendly Version? by OctoberSky · · Score: 5, Funny

    Anyone have a printer friendly version? On second thought.... nevermind. //Tin foil hat on

    1. Re:Printer Friendly Version? by LearnToSpell · · Score: 5, Funny

      Not if they search your house when you're not home! No inconvenience for anyone! In fact, you might not even know they've been there. Everybody wins.

      --
      Haida Manga
  3. Date and time? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I bet most people's printers will print "Jan-01 1980 12:00" in little blinking dots.

  4. Re:Watermark with extra random patterns by Mccavity91k · · Score: 5, Funny

    "What's this? This ransom note was printed in 1455 on printer number 1! Okay men, I think we need to have a little chat with Mr. Gutenberg"