Comments on: Digital Photocopiers Loaded With Secrets
Add a Comment
- Perhaps I missed it, I don't see any mention of using services like Kinko's (FedEx), Office Depot, Staples etc. How are they handling this issue? And how aware of the potential risk are their consumers?
- Reply to this comment
- You might want to stop using computers too because images of data stored on hard drives remains there forever. If you have sold, traded, or given your computer away without removing the hard drive, you might want to also consider taking IT lessons. Encrypting you data, locking it down with passwords, overwritting it, or formatting it makes it more difficult to access. Think "Locksmith" and "Onstar"
- Reply to this comment
- This definitely is a security issue, but to most Americans who would take the time to buy a used copier and do all that work? Not too many are that ambitious to do wrong. Thank goodness! But sending the copiers overseas is another issue and I agree that they need to be erased prior to shipping. Might need to have it be the responsibilty of the resailer to erase all the hard drives prior to sale overseas.
- Reply to this comment
- This is old news to most of us, but thought it deserved some attention anyway. Most color copiers have some form of ID unique to the printer, and every page printed in color has the "ID" printed on every page. The only way you can see it is if you use a particular type of flash light and simply shine the light on the page and the "ID" is perfectly visible. Typically, I think the "ID" is colored yellow, at least that is how it appears visibly on the printed page. Originally, I think this was a security measure to nab people making counterfeit money. Leave it to your imagination in considering the ramifications this could have on a private citizen, or worse yet, some corporations, or charities, or government facilities, and the list goes on. If you check YouTube, you might find a video demonstration that is proof of the "ID" unique to the printer, and maybe the owner as well.
- Reply to this comment
- YES - the same storage happens when the machine functions as a 'receiving fax' machine. ALL of these areas a HIGHLY overlooked, and should be focused on as EXTREMELY SERIOUS security holes!
On top of ALL of these facts is the SCARIEST FACT: using "nmap" and other tools, you can bypass IPS IDS (Intrusion Prevention / Intrusion Detection) and you can hack virtually undetected!
Just like a physical "vault / safe" keeps people OUT and not "in," an IPS or IDS is designed in a similar fashion - it primarily detects OUTSIDE attempts, coming inbound!
WARNING: *ALWAYS* INCLUDE PRINTERS (EVEN NON-MFD PRINTERS) IN SECURITY PENETRATION ASSESSMENTS!
Tidbit: Did you know that, by default, Kyocera and some other MDF printer/scanner/copiers, have NO ADMIN PASSWORD; and that you can telnet directly into the machine and use: "username: admin, password: [LEAVE IT BLANK] and you are then in a restricted Linux menu shell, that lets you display device settings and reboot the printer?!
Did you know that, if you FTP to these Kyoceras and others similar printers, you can pull off the 'config' files and, in some cases, you can get to the hidden "file/data" areas and pull off the temporarily stored documents that, in some cases, are ANYTHING BUT TEMPORARY! - Reply to this comment
- YES, it's true. most of these multi-function devices are running a stripped-down, allegedly 'hardened' version of Linux. Virtually ALL of them have an embedded Web server - just go: http://ip-of-printer
and you will be at the Web page. Alternatively, try these:
ftp ip-of-printer
tftp ip-of-printer
telnet ip-of-printer
Those are some typical steps to see if the machine has an embedded o/s and, along with that, normally the system will also have a hard drive.
And - patches? They don't allow you to go and get security updates; so, what if a buffer overflow or Web server or o/s vulnerability is found on these?
Also of note:
CARS now have hard drives
Some TVs and, as pointed out already, other devices, have hard drives.
BOTTOM LINE:
1) ALWAYS DISCLOSE TO THE CUSTOMER THAT THEIR DATA IS BEING STORED!
2) LET *ME*, as Security Admin, browse & delete my own documents, WIHOUT CHARGING ME EXTRA! - Reply to this comment
- I think that $500 is erase data use with the Degaussers
- Reply to this comment
- This has been an issue for both copiers and for computer hard disks for a long time now. I see people selling and giving away their old computers everyday! I personally have received free computers from people and found highly confidential data on them like name, address and SSN.
This is why products like DISKSTROYER are around (http://www.diskstroyer.com). People are realizing that they need to take precautions to not let this type of information out. - Reply to this comment
- I can't believe that one guy said you can have the feature to erase your documents for $500 extra. What a load of crap. They should by default have the option to say not to store documents on the hard drive after printing or to allow a full format of the drive if the user so desires. There is no purpose for the drive to store that many documents in the first place. If the copier won't allow you to go back and reprint old documents, which in that case you would know they are being stored, what is the point in keeping them in the first place? If they did include something like a history that you could set how many days to save copied or printed documents, that would be cool if it was being sold as an additional feature, but for the typical moron user, that should be turned off and have to be enabled in the administration menu.
- Reply to this comment
- Does this "feature" happen at the RECEIVING FAX machine as well????
- Reply to this comment
