[15587] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
RE: Security clampdown on the home PC banknote forgers
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Trei, Peter)
Tue Jun 8 22:22:31 2004
X-Original-To: cryptography@metzdowd.com
X-Original-To: cryptography@metzdowd.com
Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2004 17:15:25 -0400
From: "Trei, Peter" <ptrei@rsasecurity.com>
To: <jdean@lsuhsc.edu>, <cryptography@metzdowd.com>
jdean@lsuhsc.edu wrote:
>=20
> It's time to start wearing t-shirts bearing the image of a=20
> banned banknote.
> (To circumvent counterfeiting laws, wear the banknote of a=20
> foreign country).
> Imagine the frustration of the police when they can't=20
> photocopy your picture.
>=20
>From the original article:
"The software relies on features built into leading=20
currencies. Latest banknotes contain a pattern of=20
five tiny circles. On the =A320 note, they're disguised=20
as a musical notation, on the euro they appear in a=20
constellation of stars; on the new $20 note, the=20
pattern is hidden in the zeros of a background=20
pattern. Imaging software or devices detect the=20
pattern and refuse to deal with the image."
It would be interesting to figure out exactly what the
'don't copy' information is. If it's really just five
little circles, think of the fun you could have -
- create a rubber stamp with the appropriate image, and
stamp all kinds of documents.
- sell a line of printer paper which can't be copied or
scanned.
- make web pages which can't be printed.
- draw or tattoo it on your forehead, and suddenly=20
no photo of you can be printed (or perhaps, even=20
taken!).
ahhhhhh - the law of unintended consequences.
Peter Trei
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