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What simply occurred? HP has employed strict digital rights administration measures for years to forestall folks from utilizing third-party or refilled ink cartridges in its printers. However some hackers have found a sneaky strategy to bypass these restrictions by way of a man-in-the-middle assault.
In a latest video, YouTube creator Jay Summet unveils a comparatively easy {hardware} mod that permits customers to refill HP cartridges utilizing cheap third-party ink, sidestepping HP’s lockdown mechanisms, that are designed to dam such measures.
The hack hinges on a man-in-the-middle assault facilitated by a customized versatile printed circuit board that sits between the ink cartridge and printer. This interceptor board has contacts on each side that align completely with the cartridge’s board on one finish, and the printer’s cartridge receptacle on the opposite.
On the aspect dealing with the cartridge, the board seems to have a single IC which sits in an indentation within the cartridge’s plastic. This little cavity eliminates the bulge that might in any other case be brought on by the IC, permitting the PCB to take a seat flush. Simply check out the picture beneath to get a greater concept.
This chip seems to play a vital position. It intercepts the communication between cartridge and printer and feeds the printer a cautious internet of lies that makes the third-party refilled cartridge seem like a professional HP product. The printer fortunately accepts the hacked cartridge with out suspecting that off-brand ink is getting used.
HP, unsurprisingly, is lower than thrilled about this improvement. It has already threatened to brick any printers detected utilizing unofficial cartridges by way of its “Dynamic Safety” DRM system, saying these measures are essential to guard customers from dangers reminiscent of hackers and viruses.
On the opposite finish, shoppers have filed quite a few lawsuits difficult HP’s potential to shackle prospects to their overpriced proprietary consumables. One, filed in January, requested that HP be given an injunction to ultimately disable Dynamic Safety on the ink cartridges. Plaintiffs allege that HP additionally raised costs across the similar time it launched the DRM patch, which, mixed with locking in prospects, amounted to a monopolistic follow.
HP is of course resisting any adjustments to its DRM system as a result of its printer enterprise is an actual money cow – over half of the corporate’s earnings final yr got here from its print division alone.
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