Adobe, others slip anticounterfeiting code into apps
By Robert Lemos
CNET News.com
January 9, 2004, 5:43 PM PT
URL: http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-5138816.html
[Excerpts]
Photoshop and other programs will no longer be able to open files
containing images of several nations' currencies, said Kevin Connor,
director of product management for Adobe. The code to detect such images
came from the Central Bank Counterfeit Deterrence Group, a low-profile
association representing the national banks from Belgium, Canada,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the
United Kingdom and the United States.
While Connor didn't know which currencies were protected by the
technology, users of Adobe Photoshop CS and Jasc's Paintshop Pro have
complained that files containing images of the new U.S. $20 bill and
several Euro denominations cannot be opened. Moreover, Connor stressed
that the technology is already included in most color printers.
The creator of the technology, Digimarc, confirmed that it had produced
the code under contract to the banking group, but wouldn't discuss any
details.
One poster to Adobe's forums found that even bank-provided images of
currencies couldn't be opened. A collage of several denominations from a
Swedish bank couldn't be opened.
"This is insane," the person wrote. "Nobody, and certainly not software
I pay for, should have any say of what sort of image I am allowed t