Security: Printers Sport Hidden Codes

The Electronic Frontier Foundation alleges some color printers can help track consumer information through hidden codes.
By Priya Ganapati
Oct 18, 2005

The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a consumer privacy and digital rights organization, alleged Tuesday that there are codes embedded in printouts made by some color laser printers that can be used to track the origin of a printed document.

The codes are ostensibly a part of anti-counterfeiting measures developed by government agencies to curb the creation of fake currency but could have serious implications for consumer privacy, according to privacy advocates.

A Secret Service spokesperson, Jonathan Cherry, said the organization does work with other government agencies and “industry partners on preventive technological countermeasures designed to discourage the illegal use of printers and copiers in the production of counterfeit currencies.”

More at Red Herring Online