4 ms·
I assume a lot of that information comes from the Machine Identification Code [0], the "yellow dots" emitted by almost all printers. There's a number of encodi
by shakna 4y ago
I assume a lot of that information comes from the Machine Identification Code [0], the "yellow dots" emitted by almost all printers.
There's a number of encoding schemes [1], though most of those only identify the printer - they don't go far enough to identify the graphics card or OS where it originated. That's a new capability - if it's being accurately relayed here.
[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Identification_Code https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Identification_Code
[1] https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3206004.3206019 https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3206004.3206019
- rospaya 4y ago> emitted by almost all printers I believe it's only by some copiers and laser printers, not inkjets for example.
- einr 4y agoIndeed if they had the identification code they would have been able to pinpoint the model and serial number of the printer, but they haven't released that information -- only that it is a HP printer with HP 302 or 304 model ink cartridges, which I assume is based on analysis of the chemical composition of the ink.
- dhosek 4y agoThey also say, “Ink cartridge type HP 302 or HP 304 color cartridges are used.” [italics mine]. In that case, they may have the yellow watermark and just aren’t saying so.
- jcrawfordor 4y agoTo my knowledge only laser printers participate in the MIC scheme. While the boundaries of the program are somewhat unknown, just from a technical perspective inkjets generally struggle to produce low enough coverage for the marks to not be pretty visible to the eye (bleed of inkjet inks prevents high-pitch halftoning performed by laser printers to produce very low coverage).
- lupire 4y agoSurely only color printers print yellow dots?
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- Aachen 4y agoYou ever seen a black and white printer printing yellow? Or do you mean light gray dots or so? Because I haven't heard of such a thing but find it hard to prove this negative.
- IshKebab 4y agoIdentifying the graphics card/OS doesn't sound impossible. They figured out it was Wordpad (presumably based on line breaking or similar) which narrows it down to Windows, and the graphics drivers probably subtly affect the font rendering in the same way that can be used for canvas fingerprinting. That said, Windows 8 or 10 using Wordpad and Intel integrated graphics doesn't exactly narrow it down.
- jklinger410 4y agoIIRC the yellow dots just identify the printer, not the computer.
- 93po 4y agoThe printer, which was likely bought with a credit card and whose serial number was documented when purchased or when installing drivers that phone home with IP address, location, etc.