Is Your Printer Spying On You?

[nbodley at speakeasy.net (Nicholas Bodley)]

On Mon, 31 Oct 2005 10:43:46 -0500, Billy SG McCarthy  
<billy at reshippie.net> wrote:

> I'm pretty sure it's done in hardware.  This makes it OS neutral and a  
> more effective solution for those that want it.

Gosh, no, he says! If we're referring to almost-invisible extra marking,  
there would need to be a codable mechanism to create that image, and such  
as thing is *not* cheap, even in mass production. It just about has to be  
done in firmware. I'd guess a[n] OTP PROM. (One-time-programmable  
programmable read-only memory...)

Interesting thought is that if that PROM is a separate chip, modest tech.  
ability could disable it without disabling the printer. However, if the  
firmware looks at the chip and requires a sensible reply, then disabling  
it becomes harder.

I'm danged stubborn about maintaining that whatever you do with what you  
own, provided you don't do harm to others, is your own business, and  
politically I'm not Libertarian, in general.  DMCA be hanged!

-- 
Nicholas Bodley  /*|*\ Waltham, Mass. (Not "MA")
The curious hermit -- autodidact and polymath
Hurricanes are a bad way to learn the
  first letters of the Greek alphabet.
Happiness is a full Quabbin.