Color Laser Printers Tracking Everything You Print 795
It's not new, but it's getting noticed: Jordan writes "Yahoo! News is reporting that several printer manufacturers are now and have been for some time embedding (nearly) invisible serial numbers in every document you print with their color laser printers, allowing law enforcement to track any such document back to the printer which printed it. The technology, ostensibly created to track down money counterfeiters, was created by Xerox about 20 years ago. A Xerox researcher says that the number-embedding chip lies 'way in the machine, right near the laser' and that 'standard mischief won't get you around it.'"
I was right! (Score:5, Funny)
It's the new model... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Those rat b--- (Score:5, Funny)
What makes you think we still have such archaic things as privacy laws anymore? Dont you know that if you have a private life the terrorists win?
CSI (Score:5, Funny)
odd (Score:5, Funny)
It was 1984 twenty years ago.
We can turn this to our advantage... (Score:5, Funny)
The Geek revolution has begun.
"Standard Mischief" (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Just another reason... (Score:5, Funny)
Lesson learned, if you want to print hundreds of forged checks or counterfeit bills, pay for the printer in cash!
But not cash that you printed yourself on a printer that wasn't paid for with cash you didn't print yourself. Or something.
That's not a daisy wheel printer (Score:4, Funny)
Oh, sorry. Wrong discussion.
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Those rat b--- (Score:5, Funny)
Did you know that every time you touch something, you leave an invisible mark that's unique to you and can be used to track where you've been?
It's a privacy nightmare.
Re:How effective is this? (Score:2, Funny)
"Yeah, it's a hundred dollar bill!"
"What's with the massive amount of tippex on it?"
Back to the old methods (Score:5, Funny)
Re:I was right! (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Those rat b--- (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:5, Funny)
"Hello Kinko's Employee. I'd like you to print 500 copies of this here One-hundred dollar bill. You can just keep one of them to cover the cost."
HAHAHA! (Score:3, Funny)
Then they'll just run it through the special face recognition software!
You've been watching a little too much CSI.
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:5, Funny)
*= if you don't Own an ion cannon yet, you can build one care of these DIY directions [slashdot.org] (a cyclotron is the key component to an ion cannon...)
The naked truth is... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:CSI (Score:5, Funny)
Wait a minute...I think the last box of tin foil I bought was from WalMart! That means it probably has an RFID tag...
IS NOTHING SACRED?!
=Charles
Re:"Standard Mischief" (Score:3, Funny)
Too technical (Score:2, Funny)
Darn engineers and their technical mumbo-jumbo....
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:4, Funny)
I guess I can eat a gun barrel now, I have seen everything.
Re:Those rat b--- (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:1, Funny)
So print on black paper.
Re:Those rat b---IAAPL (Score:1, Funny)
Re:Just another reason... (Score:5, Funny)
Now I just have to buy a printer at a yard sale and commit some heinous crime with it.
Later on...
"Yep, looks like he was murdered with this printer, but don't worry we will track it right back to the owner."
For Sale - Cheap (Score:2, Funny)
FOR SALE - CHEAP
Almost new Xerox[tm] color printer.
Only $200,000, er, 2000 double-sided pages printed.
Re:Those rat b---IAAPL (Score:2, Funny)
*honk honk*
Re:I was right! (Score:5, Funny)
Famous last words. (Score:3, Funny)
Now that every hacker on the internet knows about it that chip has a life expectancy of . . . maybe friday.
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:1, Funny)
Re:I was right! (Score:4, Funny)
That's why I always use Kinko's, paying cash, while wearing a Santa suit (everyone loves Santa, doesn't matter what time of year).
Fool proof cash generator. (Score:4, Funny)
1). Make your money in your favorite photo editing software.
2.) Take it to CompUSA/MicroCenter/Frys on a USB Thumb Drive.
3.) Pop the thumb drive into one of those new printers with the ability to print from there.
4.) Print Cash in one of their demo printers.
5.) Use Cash to buy printer.
6.) Return Printer.
7.) Get Real Cash.
8.) Profit.
Seems complex, but... I have to run... I'm off to CompUSA.
Bill
Re:Too damn easy to bypass (Score:4, Funny)
Of course... I would have gotten away with it all too if it wasn't for those pesky kids... and the tracking chips in the glue.
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:3, Funny)
Wait several months, then start buying stuff. But under no circumstances should you live above your means. The IRS, unlike the police, do not assume innocence, and are pure evil.
The revolution with not be color-printed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:4, Funny)
I think most old school kidnappers use the same technique.
the younger ones obviously use email.
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:2, Funny)
It would not suprise me if most of the stuff you drag home marks its territory too, including ink jets.
I do not use my ink jet often but when I do, the ink is always dried, has bands and looks like crap. If these tracking ink dots came out fine and traceable, I'd be pissed.
I removed it from my printer (Score:1, Funny)
"Your printer may be secretly printing a hidden serial number. Click here to remove it." So I did. I am safe now. Lucky thing my IP address was not being transmitted.
Re:That's not a daisy wheel printer (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:3, Funny)
or... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Was I seeing these yellow dots, or others? (Score:1, Funny)
Wonderful claim to fame you've got there. hahahah.
Re:Old News (Score:3, Funny)
Could this be taken as armed robbery?
Re:That's not a daisy wheel printer (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:3, Funny)
We would get Regular visits from the SS
Could you please explain why the Schutz Staffel would pay you visits at all? I thought I shot them all down in Castle Wolfenstein years ago.Cash kinda guy (Score:3, Funny)
Ouch!
Hopefuly you favor cash so there's no need to worry - unless you use a laser printer to print their names and amounts on the evenlope!
Re:Countermeasures? (Score:2, Funny)