HP CEO Enrique Lores defended the company's practice of bricking printers using third-party ink, citing potential security risks from embedded viruses in third-party ink cartridges. HP-backed research claimed that ink cartridge microcontroller chips could be used as an entryway for attacks, leading to the implementation of Dynamic Security. However, cybersecurity professionals are skeptical of the threat and believe there are more pressing security concerns. HP's tactics seem aimed at driving recurring revenue through ink subscriptions, despite facing lawsuits over blocking third-party ink functionality. The company's approach raises questions about customer choice and the vendor-customer relationship.
HP is pushing firmware updates to its printers, bricking them if they use third-party ink cartridges, claiming it's to protect users from viruses. However, security experts find this claim implausible, suggesting it would require a nation-state attack. HP is facing a class action lawsuit for deploying the bricking code without informing printer buyers and effectively creating a monopoly in the aftermarket for replacement cartridges.
HP CEO Enrique Lores suggested that third-party ink cartridges could potentially carry viruses that could infect printers and spread to networks, justifying the company's controversial practice of bricking printers with non-HP ink. This comes amid a lawsuit alleging that HP did not inform customers about firmware updates that blocked non-HP ink cartridges. HP's bug bounty program supported the claim, and the company aims to drive recurring revenue through ink sales and eventually transition to a subscription-based printing model.
HP CEO Enrique Lores suggested that ink cartridges could be used to hack printers, citing a bug bounty program's findings. While HP insists on using Dynamic Security to prevent third-party ink use, cybersecurity professionals are skeptical of the practicality and scale of such attacks. HP's evidence comes from its bug bounty program, which found a theoretical vulnerability in third-party ink cartridges, but there's no evidence of such hacks occurring in the wild. Despite HP's concerns about ink cartridge security, cybersecurity experts believe that the majority of consumers and businesses shouldn't be overly worried about ink cartridges being used to hack their machines.
HP CEO Enrique Lores stated that customers who don't use the company's supplies are a "bad investment," emphasizing the importance of protecting HP's intellectual property. HP has faced criticism for its ink subscription model and policy of preventing the use of third-party cartridges, with a class-action lawsuit alleging that a firmware update disabled printers using non-HP cartridges. Lores defended the company's actions, warning of potential issues and security risks associated with non-HP cartridges, while also expressing a long-term objective of making printing a subscription service. This stance aligns with previous statements from HP executives about "locking" customers into its products.
HP is facing another lawsuit over its printer practices, specifically regarding its use of hardware DRM to block third-party ink cartridges. The lawsuit alleges that HP released a firmware update causing printers to stop working after a price hike on its own ink cartridges. This comes after the company has settled similar cases in the past, yet continues the practice. The article criticizes HP's subscription service, Instant Ink, and questions why the company insists on forcing its printers to only work with its proprietary-chipped cartridges.
HP has launched a marketing campaign in Europe with the tagline "Made to be less hated," aiming to present itself as empathetic towards people's frustration with printers. However, the campaign fails to address HP's controversial practices, such as bricking third-party ink cartridges and implementing region locks. HP's focus on maintaining the status quo and trapping customers into using only HP-branded ink and toner is highlighted, despite customer complaints and lawsuits. The company's CFO proudly spoke about the value of constraining customer choice and increasing print margins.
A federal judge has ruled that HP must face a class action lawsuit filed by plaintiffs who claim that the company's all-in-one printers become inoperable when any of the ink cartridges run dry, including non-printing functions such as scanning and faxing. The lawsuit alleges that HP fails to disclose this limitation in its advertising and marketing materials. This is not the first time HP has faced criticism over its printer practices, as it has previously been accused of rejecting third-party ink. Canon and Epson have also faced similar lawsuits regarding printer functionality when ink levels are low.
Certain all-in-one printer models from companies like HP and Canon require ink cartridges to perform non-printing functions such as scanning or faxing, even though ink is not necessary for these features. This practice has led to frustration among users and has resulted in class-action lawsuits. HP is currently facing a lawsuit alleging that their printers won't scan or fax without ink, and that this information is not properly disclosed to consumers. The complaint seeks monetary damages and the end of HP's misleading advertising and marketing campaign. Despite the backlash, printer makers continue to defend the practice.
HP Inc. has failed to dismiss a class-action lawsuit alleging that the company disables scanning and faxing functions on its multifunction printers when ink cartridges run low. The lawsuit claims that HP intentionally withholds this information from consumers to boost profits from the sale of expensive ink cartridges. The judge rejected HP's request to dismiss the revised complaint, allowing the case to proceed. Consumer Reports has highlighted the high cost of printer ink and the inefficiency of ink usage in all-in-one inkjet printers. HP is not the only company facing such legal complaints, as Canon Inc. also settled a similar case in 2022.
