Canon Blocks Copy Jobs Using Banned Keywords

aesoteric notes that a future version of Canon's document management system will include the exciting breakthrough technology that will OCR your printed and scanned documents, and prevent distribution of keywords. Documents containing the offending words can be sent to the administrator, without actually telling the user just what word tripped the alarm. The article notes that simply using 1337 for example will get around it.

Its like router filters the *admin* sets

[stimpleton]

From TFA: "The latest version of Uniflow has a keyword-based security system. Once configured by an administrator, the system can prevent a user from attempting to print, scan, copy or fax a document containing a prohibited keyword, such as a client name or project codename."

So its not some Canon thing where they think some words shouldnt be used. You know, dirty words like Bottom or Crevice.

The internal admin can set the words. Its like a silent alarm really. No different to a corporate spam filter with words added to a blacklist by an admin.

Re:Names?

[Pseudonym Authority]

FBI monitoring library records in terror probe (By The Associated Press) [freedomforum.org]
But, of course, it hasn't been used, they say.Authority to obtain library records hasn't been used, Ashcroft says (By The Associated Press) [firstamendmentcenter.org]

Re:Just what we need...

[eh2o]

Yeah they are in it for the sex! Duh.

Re:Names?

[burisch_research]

Much much better link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation [wikipedia.org]

Re:From the "don't give them any ideas" dept.

[Ogi_UnixNut]

I personally can attest to what the parent said. Back while I was a sysadmin at my old job, I read about the yellow-dot markings that were sneaked into all sorts of printers and copiers for detection, and in some cases, for prevention of copying.

While reading about this, we came across the knowledge that banknotes had these yellow markings on them, so on a slow Friday we decided to test it out. We stuck a 20GBP note into the machine and hit copy. It promptly jammed and said it needed an engineer to come service it immediately.

As it was a small company and I was their go-to guy for just about everything, I already knew how to fix it, so I did it myself rather than calling an engineer.

Thinking it was a coincidence, we ran more tests. The machine would run fine for hundreds of copies, but would jam every single time you tried to copy the banknote, without exception. It really seemed like it was deliberately jamming itself.

If memory serves me correctly, it was a Toshiba colour copier, but if you want to find out if your copier also does the same, just stick a banknote in it. (UK ones are rejected, but probably others are as well).

I remember thinking how sneaky it was of them. Rather than telling you that they refuse the action you requested, they jam the machine. I don't know if the engineer would rat you out when he came round to fix it (as we didn't call one) but it is known that the machine will generally hold the last few things copied in memory (I presume to aid debugging of issues).

P.S Sorry for any typo's etc... typing this on my phone.

Re:A word from the Vendor if I may

[Mal-2]

It might be easy to hand write the details off the screen for circumvention, but that is only going to net you a small data set. These systems are designend to stop people walking off with entire client databases and that type of thing. In the governemnt, it's more about keyword 'flagging' that sends the MIB to your desk on very short notice.

It also does nothing to keep you from using your phone to take a picture of the screen -- something I have done when the machine coughs up a BSOD.