«

In an effort to make the world safer for fascism, some color laser
printers embedding a secret code on their output:

http://www.news24.com/News24/Technol...19331,00.html#

--
Famous last words: "Hey, I got nothin' to hide."

SgtMinor wrote in 24hoursupport.helpdesk:

> http://www.news24.com/News24/Technol...1443_1819331,0
> 0.html#

"Big Brother is watching you."

--
The Old Sourdough
May 9 crooked optometrists do unspeakable things with your razor.

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 08:45:26 -0400, SgtMinor
<> wrote:

>In an effort to make the world safer for fascism, some color laser
>printers embedding a secret code on their output:
>
>http://www.news24.com/News24/Technol...19331,00.html#

Ok, so I go to staples, buy a printer, pay cash, and leave.

How are they going to trace it back to me without a 'reference' print?
i.e. my letterhead, or a letter to mom....

Evam

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:56:31 -0700, Evan Platt
<evan@*******************************> wrote:

>On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 08:45:26 -0400, SgtMinor
><> wrote:
>
>>In an effort to make the world safer for fascism, some color laser
>>printers embedding a secret code on their output:
>>
>>http://www.news24.com/News24/Technol...19331,00.html#
>
>Ok, so I go to staples, buy a printer, pay cash, and leave.
>
>How are they going to trace it back to me without a 'reference' print?
>i.e. my letterhead, or a letter to mom....
>
>Evam

Exactly. All they are trying to do is be able to tie a particular
printed piece of paper to a particular printer, like they could with
old typewriters. "Yes your honour, this printer produced the document
in question".

So nobody has found the GPS chip in Canon printers then??
)

Evan Platt wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 08:45:26 -0400, SgtMinor
> <> wrote:
>
>>In an effort to make the world safer for fascism, some color laser
>>printers embedding a secret code on their output:
>>
>>http://www.news24.com/News24/Technol...19331,00.html#
>
> Ok, so I go to staples, buy a printer, pay cash, and leave.
>
> How are they going to trace it back to me without a 'reference' print?
> i.e. my letterhead, or a letter to mom....
>
> Evam

They'll know which Staples store sold it and you'll be recorded on the
store video camera. If the coded message is unique to the machine, who
needs a reference print?

The questions is, why does this need to be done in the first place, and
if it's so innocuous - like the VIN on a car - why aren't we told about
it?

Whenever something's done in secret you should worry.

SgtMinor wrote:
> if it's so innocuous - like the VIN on a car -

A VIN may not be as innocuous as you think,I work for a dealership and
from only the last 8 digits of a VIN I can get the original owners
name address and telephone # and the code to cut a key. newer vehicles
have anti theft and the key has to be programmed to the vehicle to
start the engine but the door can be opened.

at this dealer you would have to show me proof you own the vehicle
before a key would be cut,but not all dealerships are as stringent.
I have a piece of paper covering my VIN.

--
http://www.hostmybb.com/phpbb/index.php?mforum=rftg
B-N-Ps, no B no Ps,no spam, trades,post,chat
come join!

"TNKEV" <> wrote in
news:4356b602$0$65258$ eenews.net:

>SgtMinor wrote:
>> if it's so innocuous - like the VIN on a car -
>
> A VIN may not be as innocuous as you think,I work for a dealership
> and from only the last 8 digits of a VIN I can get the original
> owners
>name address and telephone # and the code to cut a key. newer
>vehicles
> have anti theft and the key has to be programmed to the vehicle to
> start the engine but the door can be opened.
>
> at this dealer you would have to show me proof you own the vehicle
> before a key would be cut,but not all dealerships are as
> stringent.
> I have a piece of paper covering my VIN.
>

Just curious, how far back could you go? I mean could you do that for
a car from the 50s?

Top

--
Live Life and Enjoy It....

EricP wrote:
> On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 09:56:31 -0700, Evan Platt
> <evan@*******************************> wrote:
>
>> On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 08:45:26 -0400, SgtMinor
>> <> wrote:
>>
>>> In an effort to make the world safer for fascism, some color laser
>>> printers embedding a secret code on their output:
>>>
>>> http://www.news24.com/News24/Technol...19331,00.html#
>>
>> Ok, so I go to staples, buy a printer, pay cash, and leave.
>>
>> How are they going to trace it back to me without a 'reference'
>> print? i.e. my letterhead, or a letter to mom....
>>
>> Evam
>
> Exactly. All they are trying to do is be able to tie a particular
> printed piece of paper to a particular printer, like they could with
> old typewriters. "Yes your honour, this printer produced the document
> in question".
>
> So nobody has found the GPS chip in Canon printers then??
> )

THAT'S a scary thought <g>

--
There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore looking
like an idiot.

On Wed, 19 Oct 2005 16:01:39 -0500, "TNKEV"
<> wrote:

> I have a piece of paper covering my VIN.

I believe in most locations that's illegal. If a police officer wants
to ticket your car, he'll generally verify the VIN matches the plate.

And you do realize in California at least, you can go to the DMV's
website, enter the plate # and get the VIN?

TNKEV wrote:
> SgtMinor wrote:
>> if it's so innocuous - like the VIN on a car -
>
> A VIN may not be as innocuous as you think,I work for a dealership and
> from only the last 8 digits of a VIN I can get the original owners
> name address and telephone # and the code to cut a key. newer vehicles
> have anti theft and the key has to be programmed to the vehicle to
> start the engine but the door can be opened.
>
> at this dealer you would have to show me proof you own the vehicle
> before a key would be cut,but not all dealerships are as stringent.
> I have a piece of paper covering my VIN.
>

Yeah, poor choice of words. I meant to describe the public nature of
the VIN, not the harmlessness of it. As you outlined, it can easily be
misused.

I'm sure the piece of paper won't get you into trouble - unless it looks
very intentional - but in most places I know of the VIN has to be
publicly visible.