Your office photocopier could help steal your identity

While we've seen just how to have a Sharp miracle in your office, it now seems that Sharp copiers (along with Xerox and a smorgasbord of others) could become a miraculous find for identify thieves. Given that many all-in-one "bizhubs" of today feature some sort of internal storage device to capture copies, scans, and faxes in case you need to resend the file a week or two later, it's not too surprising to think how such a convenience could be exploited by ill-willed individuals to extract personal information about you and your office mates. Pointing at tax time in particular, it has been suggested that many Americans photocopy sensitive documents that contain all the information needed to jack your ID without even realizing how vulnerable they've made themselves. Both Sharp and Xerox, however, have both released security kits that encrypt the internal data stored on its machines, but if you're using some off-the-wall copier and have noticed something peculiar about that fellow across the hall, stay sharp.

[Ethyriel @ Mar 17th 2007 2:13PM]

Even more worrying is the rather large internal storage that we aren't even able to access through the machine's UI. It stores away recent copies strictly for the sake of law enforcement agencies in the case of illegal behavior.

[John Doe @ Mar 17th 2007 2:14PM]

Document this claim please.

[NarfPointZort @ Mar 17th 2007 2:23PM]

LOL! Tell us another one!

[John Doe @ Mar 17th 2007 2:13PM]

Cause for concern? Yes. Cause for panic?! Not really. Most of the HD found in these things are a complete and total bitch to get into. At least the Canon ones are. No idea about Sharp. As for electronic hacking...doubtful.

[IOTA @ Mar 17th 2007 3:01PM]

that reminds me of something i tried for an undergrad exam. Studying late the night before (of course), I had to check on/ make changes to a reaction I was running (undergrad research). Since I was already in the building (~1am), I decided to see if I could find the "job" on the copier that was used to make the copies of the exam. I found the job because I knew roughly when the copies were made and about how many students, but couldn't get the copier to spit out another copy. I would have called tech support, but it was late. I did learn it was 12 pages..............

[David Scott @ Mar 17th 2007 3:19PM]

Everyone is over reacting to this Sharp media hype.

I am an Analyst that installs brand "X" =;-> multi-function devices for a living. The data is only accessible from the HDD if it is removed from the machine, then put into a Linux box. On top of that, they have very little data cached on them because the storage are is samll ad gets written over when full.

If you are that worried, buy the drive from the company you leased it from, and destroy it.

[Rusty @ Mar 17th 2007 9:34PM]

Bonus points for me. The copier in the picture is a Toshiba E-Studio 35/45. Hard drive on that one requires you to pull the
receiving tray (2screws), the cover over the logic board (4 screws)
pull the logic board, (14 connectors, 2 screws, 2 plastic stand offs), THEN, pull the hard drive (4 screws, 2 connectors).
Yeah, that can be done quick LOL. Add the finisher/stapler, and you have to pull the bridge unit which has 4 screws & 1 connector, then the finisher which has 2 screws and then you lift it off.
As with the other posters, this is just being "hyped" by Sharp, to promote their "data overwrite" software which overwrites the hard drive after your copy/fax/scan/print job is finished.
Heck, the machines we sell/work on have had either scrambler boards, data encryption, or data overwrite features for years.
I don't know what the big deal is, other than trying to panic
everyone.

[bobdole @ Mar 17th 2007 10:02PM]

old news... all too true, though... http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=security/networkprinterhacking#Finding%20stored%20faxes%20and%20print%20jobs%20on%20Jetdirect%20printers

[Steven @ Mar 17th 2007 11:19PM]

I agree about the SDK, and it will be fascinating to see what happens with

widgets, if at all?
I’m just not anxious to sign on to Cingulars pricey data plans.
I’ll def get it for the mp3, movie, photo, contact and everything else, non web-

related.

[Eleventeen @ Mar 18th 2007 6:37PM]

I know for a fact though that I could walk up to our Xerox Nuvera 120 and reprint the ID and SSN card for at least 15 new employees that started recently. An identity thief doesnt have to come in from *outside* the network.