Printer tracking dots
Dan Tobias (Talk | contribs) (Created page with "{{FormatInfo |formattype=physical }} '''Printer tracking dots''' are rather secretive, but reputed to be inserted in printed documents on many current-day color printers, with...") |
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'''Printer tracking dots''' are rather secretive, but reputed to be inserted in printed documents on many current-day color printers, with rumors of the existence of secret agreements between governments and printer manufacturers to ensure this "feature" is present on all major printer models. They are hard-to-see patterns of light-colored (usually yellow) dots that can, to knowledgeable observers, allow it to be determined when and by whom something was printed. It has been reported that this played a role in uncovering the government leaks of Reality Winner (yes, that's her real name) in 2017. | '''Printer tracking dots''' are rather secretive, but reputed to be inserted in printed documents on many current-day color printers, with rumors of the existence of secret agreements between governments and printer manufacturers to ensure this "feature" is present on all major printer models. They are hard-to-see patterns of light-colored (usually yellow) dots that can, to knowledgeable observers, allow it to be determined when and by whom something was printed. It has been reported that this played a role in uncovering the government leaks of Reality Winner (yes, that's her real name) in 2017. | ||
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| + | Rumor has it that printers are transitioning toward using [[steganography]] instead of tracking dots, so don't assume that just because your printer doesn't print these dots, it is not tracking you. | ||
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| + | == See also == | ||
| + | * [[Watermark (physical)]] | ||
== Links == | == Links == | ||
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* [http://blog.erratasec.com/2017/06/how-intercept-outed-reality-winner.html How The Intercept Outed Reality Winner] | * [http://blog.erratasec.com/2017/06/how-intercept-outed-reality-winner.html How The Intercept Outed Reality Winner] | ||
* [http://seeingyellow.com/ Seeing Yellow] | * [http://seeingyellow.com/ Seeing Yellow] | ||
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| + | [[Category:Forensics and Law Enforcement]] | ||
Revision as of 16:22, 15 June 2017
Printer tracking dots are rather secretive, but reputed to be inserted in printed documents on many current-day color printers, with rumors of the existence of secret agreements between governments and printer manufacturers to ensure this "feature" is present on all major printer models. They are hard-to-see patterns of light-colored (usually yellow) dots that can, to knowledgeable observers, allow it to be determined when and by whom something was printed. It has been reported that this played a role in uncovering the government leaks of Reality Winner (yes, that's her real name) in 2017.
Rumor has it that printers are transitioning toward using steganography instead of tracking dots, so don't assume that just because your printer doesn't print these dots, it is not tracking you.
