[HN Gopher] Random Mosaic - Detecting unauthorized physical acce...
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       Random Mosaic - Detecting unauthorized physical access with colored
       rice (2021)
        
       Author : harporoeder
       Score  : 80 points
       Date   : 2025-09-23 18:08 UTC (2 days ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (dys2p.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (dys2p.com)
        
       | leakycap wrote:
       | I would have never come across this except on HN & it's awesome!
        
         | extraduder_ire wrote:
         | I first learned about it via the blink comparison app on
         | f-droid, linked in the article.
        
       | gus_massa wrote:
       | Old discussion https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31897530 (642
       | points | June 2022 | 165 comments)
        
       | metalman wrote:
       | there is I believ a similar thing useing paint spatters as
       | idicators of authentisity of electronics and also as proof of
       | tampering, as the patterns are unique and can be produced,
       | recorded ,quickly and cheeply.
        
         | flir wrote:
         | Much like the split tally stick:
         | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tally_stick
        
       | zahlman wrote:
       | > If of one or more elements within the mosaic are modified,
       | unauthorized access or compromise can be assumed.
       | 
       | ... But how is the recipient certain of what the mosaic should
       | be? You can't put the reference photo in the same package,
       | because it's taken after sealing. And if you send it separately,
       | that package is also subject to tampering.
        
         | jrm4 wrote:
         | um, you like text it or email it?
        
         | ZeWaka wrote:
         | > ...an original photo, which has been taken for example, by a
         | manufacturer, signed and transmitted to a customer via an
         | encrypted communication channel, with a photo of the current
         | state.
        
           | zahlman wrote:
           | Thanks, glossed over that, and also should have thought of
           | it.
        
       | FuriouslyAdrift wrote:
       | Chaos Computer Club talk on this (using glitter nail polish) from
       | way back in 2014...
       | 
       | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpFKeVuP0_w
       | 
       | The talk covers A LOT more and focusing on "evil maid" attacks.
        
       | ape4 wrote:
       | The article anonymized a face using the compromised swirl method
        
         | Katzenmann wrote:
         | Yeah but it looks like the face was also blurred before the
         | swirl
        
       | vpribish wrote:
       | "The rice is a little more fine-grained"
       | 
       | nice writeup!
        
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       (page generated 2025-09-25 23:01 UTC)