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Harry Potter fans all over could not wait to get their hands on the latest release but someone just could not control their excitement and took some time to photograph each and every page and then made them available via BitTorrent before the books actual release. For some people this may have seemed like a wonderful and quick way to find out just how the final Harry Potter book will end however it could really be the end for the person who posted the pictures.

The EFF checked out the leaked pictures and did some investigating of their own. They found that the EXIF metadata contained the serial number of the camera along with some information about the settings. The camera in question was a Canon Rebel 300D. With a unique serial number it is possible to find the person who took the images. Of course it would still not be a perfect or easy quest. The camera would have to have been registered when first purchased and even then it could have been registered with old or inaccurate information.

So while it would be hard to track down the owner of that camera it just brings a good point, in today’s digital age it is becoming very hard to stay anonymous. In the past we have seen information tracked by hidden details left from laser printers, Word documents, PDF files, CD burners and software. While I am not a fan of this hidden information its also not a huge concern for me because I am not someone who would leak something like this. So leakers be warned, you most likely can be tracked.

Read [ars technica] Image [Amazon.com]

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