Hp setup wireless printers--are they trojan horses for hackers?

The Backlash Cometh

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Fri Nov-04-11 02:46 PM
Original message

Hp setup wireless printers--are they trojan horses for hackers?

I came across something which might be something, it might be nothing. But, I'm throwing it out there for the geeks who know about these things. The computer forum is a wonderful site, but if this is what I think it is, it could use more eyes.

Recently I found an SSID with the name of Hp setup. As the name implies, it is probably a wireless printer in the area. Why it's so perplexing is that I went to print something and it didn't print on my printer, so I went searching in the control panel and found an Hp setup 1400 series which I didn't put there. In addition, it had one document ready to print, which probably would have printed on that printer if it weren't for the fact that the printer was offline.

I deleted everything, but that is a small consolation since I don't know how that printer got there in the first place nor do I know where in the area it's located.

Anybody else experience anything like that?

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yawnmaster

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Fri Nov-04-11 02:49 PM
Response to Original message

1. HP wireless printers usually have that adhoc ssid visible, but it is not useable.

shouldn't cause a problem.

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The Backlash Cometh

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Fri Nov-04-11 02:56 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. How could it hijack my document, then?

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yawnmaster

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Fri Nov-04-11 02:59 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. it probably didn't. eom

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The Backlash Cometh

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Fri Nov-04-11 03:06 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. How did the HP get on my computer at all?

My registry booster had been turning up a consistent error every day, I had to run it to clean it out--each day. After I deleted the printer, I ran the Registry booster and wouldn't you know it? It ran clean.

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canetoad

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Fri Nov-04-11 03:11 PM
Response to Original message

5. It's possible that the queued doc

Was a printer test page, or 'Welcome to HP' that would be run on setup.

HP printers are good hardware wise but come with woefully bloated software that is generally not needed. When setting up an HP printer it pays to not let the Setup CD auto install but to search out the actual drivers folder and install driver and needed utilities only. The printer will still work without all the rest of the crap.

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The Backlash Cometh

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Fri Nov-04-11 03:19 PM
Response to Reply #5

6. I'll keep that in mind if I ever decide to buy an HP.

The issue is, I don't have one so I don't know where the HP icon came from.

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