In Russia, a Digital Detective Will Track a 'Traitor Printer' by Its Watermarks

Russian researchers have developed a technology that allows experts to determine exactly which printer produced a document based on special watermarks embedded at the device level. These invisible markers remain detectable even after multiple rounds of copying or scanning, making it possible to trace the source of information leaks. The development was presented at the 5th Congress of Young Scientists.

Printers Are No Longer Anonymous

According to Arutyun Avetisyan, academician and director of the Ivannikov Institute for System Programming of the Russian Academy of Sciences, if a document is printed and someone photographs and uploads it, experts can identify the exact printer used. The technology has already been deployed on hundreds of thousands of computers across Russian organizations.

Invisible Markers

The method is based on micro-level print characteristics. A printer leaves invisible or nearly invisible markers that encode the device’s serial number, as well as the date and time of printing. This approach resembles the global practice of printer tracking dots, widely used to trace the source of printed documents.

Research in digital and paper watermarking confirms that modern algorithms can embed unique identifiers into both electronic and printed documents. These markers remain verifiable even after scanning, reprinting, or photographing the page again.

In practical terms, this means that a leaked document — whether an internal memo, confidential plan, or contract — will no longer be anonymous. If it appears in public, specialists can determine the printer used, significantly improving document security and reducing the risks of unauthorized disclosure.

The technology fully aligns with current needs in information‑security management and the protection of commercial and state secrets. Printer‑level watermarking is becoming an important new tool for legal and organizational data‑protection strategies.