Security clampdown on the home PC banknote forgers

[Trei, Peter]

jdean at lsuhsc.edu wrote:

> 
> It's time to start wearing t-shirts bearing the image of a 
> banned banknote.
> (To circumvent counterfeiting laws, wear the banknote of a 
> foreign country).
> Imagine the frustration of the police when they can't 
> photocopy your picture.
> 

>From the original article:

  "The software relies on features built into leading 
  currencies. Latest banknotes contain a pattern of 
  five tiny circles. On the £20 note, they're disguised 
  as a musical notation, on the euro they appear in a 
  constellation of stars; on the new $20 note, the 
  pattern is hidden in the zeros of a background 
  pattern. Imaging software or devices detect the 
  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 
no photo of you can be printed (or perhaps, even 
taken!).

ahhhhhh - the law of unintended consequences.

Peter Trei




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