Copy Machines, a Security Risk?

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News & Politics

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• cbsepisode
• cbs
• evening
• news
• armen
• keteyian
• copy
• machine
• risk
• security

[Alistairville]

Wow - I had no idea! Why does a photocopier need to store info after the print has been made? Seems like a security hazard that never needed to exist.

[kamalot77]

Well, thieves didn't know about this till now...... but thanks to this story, they are all in line to buy a used one.. lol..

[S3M73X]

500,-USD for additional security? *roflmao*

If you lease a new copy machine:

1. Take out the Harddisk and make a forensic Image with the linux-tool dd

2. Put the disk back in and use the copy-machine

3. After leasing-time is over take the disk out again, download DBan from dban.org and wipe out the disk multiple times overwrites of random-data according to DoD

4. Use dd again to put back the original disk-image

[wsxmd]

hello youtube and Big Brother Google, can I post my comment now?

[rhblakeman]

They have known this for years, now the general public (at least the ones that care to pay attention) know. A lot of corporations know about it but they think the company they lease from will wipe it clean when they take the old unit off site - the company they lease from is worried about a buck and cleaning the machine costs time and many times hardware. I have a machine from an Ikon lease that I can read all sorts of HIPAA info from right now - it will be cleaned before I sell it.

[rhblakeman]

I get printers and copiers to refurbish and resell all the time and they are loaded with stuff like this. I remove them, run a wipe program to govt specs then reinstall and initialize (like a format) the drive. If it's from a sensitive site the drive is physically destroyed and a new one installed before it's sold. Military near here lets nothing off post with a storage device on it so you have to replace the drive when you buy computers, printers and copiers from them.

[rhblakeman]

Because they (digital copiers, not analog ones) are a mix of a computer, printer and scanner and most also have networking and fax. It started with digital laser printers so you could "mopy" copies to free up the PC that sent the job. If you needed 200 copies of a document you sent the job to the printer, it retained it in the HD and went on reproducing. On a copier if you need multiples then you scan once then reprint copies 2 thru whatever from the HD image. An analog copier cant retain a copy

[Cre8iveSignWorks]

@kamalot77

haha...you really dont believe that do you?

i certainly dont!...i had $5000- stolen from my bank account just last week.

the smart crooks have known all the places where you can get personal info for years.

[EmperorofCartoons]

@Alistairville An old style photocopier doesn't, it cant remember any information after its drum loses its charge.

Newer ones though that scan the image and print it similar how to how a printer and scanner work for your home computer, and that means they have to retain a digital copy of the image (Although for the life of me I cant figure why someone had not thought of this and set the hard drive to erase itself after each batch of copies.).

[meechp123]

@Snowycat2 -exactly!

[meechp123]

@Alistairville -these are scanned images. Things that are printed are stored in temp memory and then erased.

[Dunkleosteus3691]

Oh but we have to leave businesses unregulated and unfettered. "The Market will correct for that." Ha-ha-ha!! Yeah, the "market will correct" -- once the lazy / greedy/ sneaky SOBs get caught!

BP: Oh that'll never happen because we've taken all precautions and if it somehow did: we can handle that too. Because: we wear business suits to work. Ha-ha!

AIG: We insure these (most risky) home loans so you won't have to worry.