How can I tell if my home printer is securely protected? Is there a good web page or text book anyone can recommend that will teach me more details about this? Thanks.
Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
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Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#52If you recall from the early days of google, there are plenty of indexed dark data that Google actively scrubs out of the public results. For example it was trivial at one point to find credit card numbers and social security numbers.
Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#53Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm assuming that it is just the setup/status/diagnostics control panel so you'll not be able to print anything arbitrary (shame, it could be a fun game!). If you are of a mind to wind someone up you might be able to kick out a pile of test pages and reconfigure the thing so it is no use until someone does a factory reset. A similar but worse case was some years ago when a range of consumer router+firewall boxes had…
I've looked at two and both had the option to print a file that you uploaded. Of course I didn't actually try to print anything, but it looks like you probably could.
I may or may not have just printed out some random messages for people to find.
There is something strangely compelling about sending thoughts out into the ether with no chance of feedback. Fax pranks are before my time, but I totally get it. I hope I made somebody smile today.
Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#54Idea for startup. 1. write a script to scrap google links to HP admin panel 2. filter out the IPs that are from US (given you want to work on US market) 3. assemble the list of printer types and current toner levels. 4. write a script that will print to each of those printers a one single page, stating your company "Cheapo Suppliers Inc" was notified that "your printer is low on toner. Call xxxxxx to re-fill. Lowest…
In the US, this will get you arrested, you will have a huge fine and probation, and prison time is not off the table. I'll refer you to the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, which does not just govern unsolicited e-mail, but all commercial mail which the law defines as electronic communication (bulk faxes, etc.)
Lets not overreact here.
The printers are on public wire.
You had not done any crime by using Google to find them.
You obtained access to their open HP admin panel via public link with no password or credentials you had to pass.
You haven't stole any information and, furthermore, there is NO confidential information even to be stolen to start with.
On the top of that, you cannot even determine who they are (name, company, address, email, nothing?). They are totally undefinable sitting by a raw IP address. Sure you know someone is using HP printer. Can you get legally punished for that?
I don't think that taking advantage of a publicly accessible information is punishable by jail, especially since noone got hurt and no information were stolen, whether it is information someone made their living off of (Aaron case), or just totally worthless information as of what brand computer of printer is being used. It would be hard for a company to sue you -- (lack of merit)?
If Google got away with snooping private data from open Wifs (and I am sure they made some sort of use from all that gathered data, even if only internally), then I am pretty sure you wont get any heat for such a petite stretch of snooping people's printers.
another though: you may say that someone can sue you for printing a page using their material and toner, but thats too little of damage to even start with. However, arguendo, if you would get slammed with class action lawsuit, you are most likely a millionaire from your idea anyways :)
Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#55Earlier quoted context omitted.
In the US, this will get you arrested, you will have a huge fine and probation, and prison time is not off the table. I'll refer you to the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, which does not just govern unsolicited e-mail, but all commercial mail which the law defines as electronic communication (bulk faxes, etc.)
Lets not overreact here. The printers are on public wire. You had not done any crime by using Google to find them. You obtained access to their open HP admin panel via public link with no password or credentials you had to pass. You haven't stole any information and, furthermore, there is NO confidential information even to be stolen to start with. On the top of that, you cannot even determine who they are (name, com…
> The printers are on public wire.
> You had not done any crime by using Google to find them.
> You obtained access to their open HP admin panel via public link with no password or credentials you had to pass.
There's even less barrier to sending a junk fax, and that can get you fined and potentially jailed.
Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#56And bam, junk fax companies are back in business.
Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#57Should we now all print documents to those printers with warnings saying that they are publicly accessible?
And risk five years in prison for unauthorized access of a computer? I think not.
Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#58A friendly thing to do would be develop a script that took the google results, checked with whois for abuse address and sent emails. Of course that could also end up with one being sent to jail for a long time.
Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#59Idea for startup. 1. write a script to scrap google links to HP admin panel 2. filter out the IPs that are from US (given you want to work on US market) 3. assemble the list of printer types and current toner levels. 4. write a script that will print to each of those printers a one single page, stating your company "Cheapo Suppliers Inc" was notified that "your printer is low on toner. Call xxxxxx to re-fill. Lowest…
Nostalgia Scam Time: Back in the late 90s there was a common scam run against big-ish offices. A caller would call asking to talk to the person in charge of printers, typically either IT or Facilities. Once connected they would say that they are sending out the recipients free gift, which was some lame piece of electronics - often a small television. They would get the work address and confirmation to ship the free g…
No nostalgia required ... they still call, even the small business I work for gets at least one or two calls for toner cartridges and we work for your printing company a month.
Re: Google has indexed thousands of publicly accessible HP printers
#60Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah and then they retaliate by sending you two pallets of crap toner cartridges, had enough? No? Still not going to pay? Ok here are five pallets of crap toner cartridges sitting in your mail room. Call up the dump, "What? Toner? That probably a toxic waste, you'll have to make an appointment and pay the extortionate hazardous waste fee." Then the toner guy calls back "You either pay us or next time it will be 10 pa…
That doesn't seem like a cost-effective way to scam someone. The victim could just sell the toner themselves, right? Sounds pretty stupid.
Because it is a scam, the toner isn't viable toner. The SJ Mercury news had a story on this during the great re-inking (people refilling ink carts, HP retaliating) and this particular scam was tied to people getting 'scrap' toner (which is they offered to dispose of unused/old/not-to-spec toner, got paid to do so, took it and poured it into plastic toner holders and then tried to sell it as 'oem' or 'extra fine' toner etc) There were complaints that it clogged printers, had smearing issues, and cost money to throw away. So the scammers were getting it on both ends, money to dispose it, and money from people tricked into buying it. The key here is that if there were a legitimate way/value to selling this toner they wouldn't be using it in their scam, they would just be selling it.