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Sead Fadilpašić

An end to expensive print cartridge lock-in? Researchers hack DRM in what could be a new dawn for printing fans

Inkjet printer in an office .

Hackers have found a new way to bypass the strict digital rights management (DRM) rules imposed on HP printers. This allows users to refill old and emptied cartridges, and thus continue printing without having to spend extra money on new, original ones.

Here is a little background: HP allegedly sells printers at a loss. To make up for it, the company sells ink cartridges at elevated prices, which infuriates the users. As a result, users turned to third-party ink cartridge manufacturers. HP responds by embedding chips into the cartridges, rendering third party products useless.

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