[e-privacy] EFF - Stampanti che spiano

[Andrea Glorioso]

* Is Your Printer Spying On You?

Help EFF Watch the Watchers

Imagine that  every   time you  printed  a  document, it automatically
included  a secret code that  could be used  to identify the printer -
and potentially, the person  who used it.   Sounds like something from
an episode of "Alias," right?

Unfortunately, the scenario isn't fictional.  In an effort to identify
counterfeiters,  the US government  has  succeeded in persuading  some
color laser printer manufacturers to encode each page with identifying
information.  That means that  without  your knowledge or consent,  an
act you assume  is private could  become public.  A communication tool
you're using in  everyday life   could become  a tool for   government
surveillance.  And what's worse, there are no laws to prevent abuse.

The ACLU  recently issued a report revealing  that the FBI has amassed
more than 1,100 pages of documents on the  organization since 2001, as
well  as documents  concerning   other non-violent  groups,  including
Greenpeace and United for Peace and Justice.  In the current political
climate, it's not hard to imagine the government  using the ability to
determine who may  have printed what  document for purposes other than
identifying counterfeiters.

Yet there are no laws to stop the Secret Service - or for that matter,
any other governmental agency or private company  - from using printer
codes to secretly trace  the origin of  non-currency documents.  We're
unaware of  any printer  manufacturer that  has a privacy  policy that
would  protect you, and no  law regulates what  people can do with the
information once  it's turned over.  And that  doesn't  even reach the
issue  of  how  such a  privacy-invasive  tool  could be developed and
implemented in printers without the public becoming aware of it in the
first place.

With nothing on  the books,  we lack  tools  to stop  the privacy  and
anonymity violations this technology enables.  For this reason, EFF is
gathering information about what  printers are revealing  and how -  a
necessary   precursor  to any legal challenge    or new legislation to
protect your privacy.  And we could use your help.

In the preliminary research paper linked below,  we explain what we've
observed so far, briefly explore the privacy implications, and ask you
to print and send us test sheets from  your color laser printer and/or
a  color laser printer  at your  local print shop.   That  way, we can
watch the watchers and  ensure that your  privacy isn't compromised in
ways that harm your fundamental constitutional rights.

In addition to documenting what  printers are revealing, EFF is filing
a Freedom of  Information  Act (FOIA) request,  and  we will keep  you
updated  on what  we  discover.   In the   meantime,  we  urge  you to
participate  in this research project and  pass the word along.  Thank
you for your support!

EFF paper: "Investigating Machine Identification Code 
Technology in Color Laser Printers":
<http://www.eff.org/Privacy/printers/wp.php>

Directions for printing test sheets:
<http://www.eff.org/Privacy/printers/wp.php#testsheets>

PC World: "Government Uses Color Laser Printer Technology 
to Track Documents":
<http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,118664,00.asp>

ACLU: "FBI Is Keeping Documents on ACLU and Other 
Peaceful Groups": 
<http://www.aclu.org/SafeandFree/SafeandFree.cfm?ID=18784&c=206>

+++

Ciao,

--
Andrea Glorioso             sama at miu-ft.org         +39 333 820 5723
        .:: Media Innovation Unit - Firenze Tecnologia ::.
	      Conquering the world for fun and profit
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