Does 3D-Printing technology put your intellectual property at risk...

[JohnRBaker]

Here's an issue that I had never even thought about before:

Eavesdropping on 3D printers allows reverse engineering of sensitive designs

http://www.gizmag.com/eavesdropping-3d-printers/42165/

John R. Baker, P.E.
EX-Product 'Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[MacGyverS2000]

Google TEMPEST... this is not more than another form.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[JNieman]

I think the concern that the /audio/ of the machine will reveal the contents is nearly absurd. The bigger risk is the networking of such machines. I think this falls under the general risks associated with the general "Internet of Things" (IoT) that we're seeing developed more and more.

For that matter, how many CNC machining centers are networked to an internet-facing server? 3D Printers aren't the only thing vulnerable. There are many machines that are deliberately internet-facing so that supervisors can monitor in/efficiency, operators/machinists can be notified of downtime (our EDM machines can send a notification to the wire EDM machinist that there's been an alarm, so he can come in and check it out), or because there are 3rd party software or services requiring internet connection to monitor/collect data.

It's one of those security concerns that mostly falls under the "security through obscurity" umbrella. Who's going to hit that vulnerability? What's the likelihood? Anyone who needs the level of security will have secure networks that maintain an air gap.

I have doubts about just how well one could duplicate the model being printed though.

"Using this technique, Al Faruque and his team were able to reproduce a key-shaped object with almost 90 percent accuracy."

"90% accuracy" doesn't tell me a whole lot. And the devil may be in those details.

However, how would one conduct such espionage in the first place? If they are able to record the sound of the motors, why would they not have a more practical means of duplication?

 

[MacGyverS2000]

I would think a hidden camera and the object rotated variously through the 3 axes would provide a significantly more detailed final image.

Like many hacks, I consider this one to be a cool proof of concept, but not something worth worrying about.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[JNieman]

It is definitely a creative and interesting hack, for sure. I've often listening to the motors of my 3dprinter chugging along as if it were music, but never would have thought that it could be /used/. That takes a creative mind, for sure.

 

[ornerynorsk]

Seems like a vicarious longshot, at best. There are many easier ways to steal the actual data than to go to such lengths to obtain potentially junk data.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[itsmoked]

I doubt it could work. It's a really big difference from fishing out ASCII keyboard presses from electrical emissions verses trying to arrive at a 3D result.

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[MacGyverS2000]

I don't doubt it, and in fact, have seen similar "captures" from various equipment.

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[ornerynorsk]

Time to crank up the Judas Priest in the R&D lab! Sorry boss, just protecting our designs!

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[JNieman]

Better make it some Drums n Bass, techno, dubstep type stuff. Those noises will surely make their reproduction process interesting.