Printers add microscopic yellow dots to track documents.
Hidden within almost every color printout is a secret arrangement of microscopic yellow dots that identify exactly which machine created it. Trace the history of the 'Machine Identification Code' and how it helped the FBI catch high-profile whistleblowers.
Listen in the Fylom app.
Overview of Machine Identification Code (MIC) technology.
The history of the secret agreement between the U.S. Secret Service and printer manufacturers.
Technical breakdown of how yellow dots encode serial numbers and timestamps.
Case study of Reality Winner and the role of printer forensics in her arrest.
Methods for detecting yellow dots using blue light or high-resolution scanning.
- 01Intro1 min
- 02The Invisible Fingerprint2 min
- 03The Secret Service Handshake3 min
- 04Cracking the Code2 min
- 05The Reality Winner Case3 min
- 06Outro1 min
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