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   Joe Ortiz (joeo10@mastodon.sdf.org)'s status on Tuesday, 23-Jan-2024 05:08:05 JST Joe Ortiz

   in reply to

   • Brian Hawthorne
   • 🔗 David Sommerseth

   @bhawthorne @dazo Even Brother printers are implementing the same tricks sadly. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31860131

   • Embed this notice
     Brian Hawthorne (bhawthorne@infosec.exchange)'s status on Tuesday, 23-Jan-2024 05:08:07 JST Brian Hawthorne

     in reply to

     • 🔗 David Sommerseth

     @dazo I have purchased exactly two Brother laser printers. The first was a monochrome duplex printer I bought in the early noughts when I was working on my M.S. thesis. I replaced the drum in 2010 for $90. Unfortunately, a few months later a lightning strike fried the printer. I replaced it with a Brother color duplex laser printer that has been running since March 2011.

   • Embed this notice
     🔗 David Sommerseth (dazo@infosec.exchange)'s status on Tuesday, 23-Jan-2024 05:08:08 JST 🔗 David Sommerseth

     I have preferred #HP #printers for many years, as they usually work pretty well in Linux out-of-the-box. And the hplip package has also enabled all the networking features on MFP devices pretty nicely.

     I've also preferred laser printers over ink, as the toner can last for years while ink can dry out.

     But that time is now past. I don't trust that company any more.

     If an ink cartridge is the vulnerable spot to inject #malware into a #printer, then I'd say there's something extremely bad in the firmware.

     And when that potential attack vector is being used as an excuse to FORCE users to only use HP ink cartridges and make the printer non-functional (potentially bricking it) if you use third-party cartridges, that even makes it way worse. Those are printers customers HAVE BOUGHT. NONE agreed to a rental service.

     But wait, there's more! HP wants to provide ink cartridges via a subscription service.

     This is basically #hardware #enshittification.

     If I ever need a new printer ... it's gonna be an Epson or Brother, I think. I dunno yet, lots of research will be needed, to check how the Linux support will be.

     https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/01/hp-ceo-blocking-third-party-ink-from-printers-fights-viruses/

     #righttorepair