Ever wonder why Lexmark
asks you to turn off any
anti-virus or anti-spyware
software you might have on your
computer when installing one of
their printers? The answer is
very simple and kind of
alarming. The anti-virus and
anti-spyware programs will
identify an install file as
spyware. Now you’re thinking,
“Wait a minute, Lexmark is
placing spyware on my computer?”
Well, they are and at the same
time they aren’t. Rumors of Lexmark
installing spyware in their
printers have been circulating
around the Internet since 2001,
although nothing was ever
confirmed until 2004. Someone
calling himself “Commander”
posted the following on a Usenet
group in 2004:
“Just the other
day I purchased a new
Lexmark X5250 All-in-one
printer. I installed it as
per the instructions and
monitored the install with
Norton as I do with all
new software. On reviewing
the install log I noticed
a program called Lx_CATS
had been placed in the
c:program files directory.
I investigated and found a
data log and an
initialization file called
Lx_CATS.ini. Further
investigation of this file
showed that Lexmark had,
without my permission,
loaded a Trojan backdoor
on to my computer.
Furthermore, it is
embedded into the system
registry, so average users
would likely never know it
was there and active.”
“Commander”
goes on to say that the spyware
was set to report back to the
URL,
www.lxkcc1.com,
every thirty days. That URL is
registered by Lexmark
International, Inc. “Commander”
then called Lexmark to demand an
explanation, the company at
first denied any spyware being
installed on his computer.
Ultimately, the customer service
rep admitted that Lexmark
installs what they call
“tracking software” to “report
back on printer and cartridge
use for survey purposes.” The
rep also said that the software
does not transmit personal
information but it does transmit
the printer serial number. So,
what does all this mean?
The
meaning of Life, the Universe,
and lx_cats
“Commander” was correct about
some things. There are usually
four files with lx_cats, an exe
file, an ini file, and two DLL
files. Sometimes, especially on
the new printers, there’s a
fifth file, an inf file. These
files will show up as spyware or
a Trojan virus on any
anti-spyware or anti-virus
software and will identify the
Lexmark printer as the source.
These files contain and track
information such as the printer
serial number, the serial
numbers of the last eight black
and color cartridges installed
in your printer, the number of
ink drops each cartridge has
produced, number of pages
printed per month, etc. They are
set to report this information
to the
www.lxkcc1.com
website, which is owned by
Lexmark International, every
thirty days, effectively
creating a giant nationwide,
possibly worldwide, database.
The three items that could cause
problems are the printer serial
number, cartridge serial number,
and ink drops produced. Let’s
break down each item and examine
potential problems.
I said
number, not killer…
First off, let’s look at the
printer serial number and the
cartridge serial numbers. The
printer serial number is really
cut and dry. It is a unique
number that identifies your
printer. When you register your
printer it attaches your name to
that number. And therein lies a
potential problem. If Lexmark is
keeping that number in a
database, it isn’t hard to put
two and two together and link
that number to your name,
address, and any other personal
information you had to give to
register the printer. From
there, they can get all sorts of
information about you. It could
become ripe for identity theft.
Scary, right?
The cartridge
serial numbers are a little more
complex. Just like the printer
serial number, the cartridge
serial number is unique and
identifies the cartridge. And
its not just Lexmark that uses
them, all the printer companies,
HP, Dell, Epson, Canon, etc.,
and all compatible manufacturers
use them. Now, if these files
are transmitting the cartridge
serial numbers, Lexmark can tell
if you have been using third
party compatible cartridges or
refilled cartridges, which ties
in with the ink drops each
cartridge makes, which we will
discuss later. Lexmark can then
void or deny any warranty
repairs or services because they
have proof you are using
compatible cartridges and not
Lexmark OEM cartridges. Yes,
according the Magnusson-Moss Act
a printer manufacturer cannot
void your warranty for using
third party compatible or
remanufactured cartridges, but
they can void your warranty for
just about any other reason, and
Lexmark can use the fact that
you are using compatibles or
refills to nit-pick and find any
reason to void the warranty.
One
drop, two drops, three drops,
four…
On to the ink drop count for
each cartridge. This gets a
little tricky. According to
Lexmark, they no longer use any
sort of electronic ink
monitoring system. They now use
a complex mathematical equation
to calculate how many drops of
ink each cartridge can generate.
This equation is what determines
the ink levels in your
cartridges and what level of ink
remaining the printer displays.
So, in summary, Lexmark knows
exactly how many drops of ink
each cartridge can produce and
exactly how many drops of ink
your cartridges have produced.
Knowing this, when you refill a
cartridge, you are basically
increasing the amount of ink
drops each cartridge can make,
but the mathematical equation
embedded in the printer software
is not increased. Therefore,
Lexmark knows you are using
refilled cartridges when the ink
drops a cartridge has produced
is more than the maximum ink
drops Lexmark knows it can
produce. Lexmark can then,
through their “tracking
software”, send a signal to your
printer voiding or shutting off
your cartridges. There is no
proof that Lexmark does in fact
do this, but in my experience of
refilling cartridges, the
refilled cartridges will last
anywhere from ten to fifty pages
and then an “invalid black /
color cartridge installed” or
“incorrect black / color
cartridge installed” error
message will appear. According
to the Troubleshooting section
of Lexmark printer manuals, when
this error appears it means that
a cartridge that is not
supported by this particular
printer is installed or that the
cartridge installed has gone
bad. The printer will not let
you continue printing until the
offending cartridge has been
dealt with. The remedy is, of
course, to install a new
cartridge, preferably OEM. Since
there is no electronic
monitoring device for the ink
level, we can only assume that
the cartridge had not yet
reached its maximum ink drop
produced number before it was
refilled and, after printing a
few pages, reached that number
and was shut off by the printer.
The refilled cartridge will not
work in any other printer that
has the lx_cats files nor will
they work if other OEM or
refilled cartridges are used
before that cartridge. The
Lexmark database at www.lxkcc1.com
links each cartridge serial
number with the number of ink
drops that cartridge has
produced and updates it every
thirty days. That is how, no
matter how many different
printers you install a used
cartridge in, each printer will
show the exact same ink level
for that cartridge. Makes you
wonder why they don’t just say
“black / color cartridge empty”
or “Ha ha. You can’t use
refills”?
Wait, I
didn’t agree to this!
The above statement is
unfortunately untrue and this is
where “Commander” is wrong. If
you don’t read everything
carefully when installing the
printer, you will agree to this.
The agreement to having the
lx_cats files installed on your
computer is hidden in the EULA.
During installation, a screen
will appear that has two check
boxes. The first one asks if you
will allow your printer to have
access to the Net through your
computer’s web browser in order
to automatically download
updates from Lexmark. The second
check box asks if you would like
to be a part of a program called
“Lexmark Connect.” Lexmark
Connect is a survey program
that, as Lexmark puts it, “is
designed to help Lexmark
determine ways of serving its
customers better through surveys
and other information gathering
sources.” Both of the check
boxes default as checked and
there is a continue button
underneath. If you click on
continue, another screen will
appear containing the Terms and
Conditions of the Lexmark
Connect program. In it, it
states that “survey tracking
software” will be installed in
your computer to assist Lexmark
in this program. If both check
boxes are checked and you hit “I
Agree” after the Terms and
Conditions, and voila! You just
agreed to have these “spyware”
files installed on your printer.
Which, unfortunately, makes it
perfectly legal.
Doesn’t
Lexmark make Dell printers as
well?
Yes, Lexmark does make Dell’s
inkjet printers. Is this “survey
tracking software” of Dell’s
printers as well? The answer is
a resounding ‘yes’. It is under
a different file name though.
Instead of lx_cats, they are
called dl_cats. Just like the
lx_cats files, there are four or
five files with the dl_cats
name. They do transmit the same
information as the lx_cats files
and it, interestingly enough,
goes to the same website, www.lxkcc1.com.
Great.
What do I do now?
If you have already
installed your printer and want
to remove this “survey tracking
software,” the easiest solution
is to search through your files
and delete any file with lx_cats
or dl_cats. Technically, you
will be breaking a legal
contract with Lexmark and they
can seek legal action if they so
wish. Although it seems highly
unlikely that Lexmark will sue
every single person that does
this. Another solution is to
uninstall your printer, go
through your computer and delete
the lx_cats files, these files
will remain on your computer
even after uninstalling the
printer, re-install the printer,
and make sure the two check
boxes that allow the printer
access to the Net and joining
the Lexmark Connect program are
not checked. Make sure the
printer is not past your
firewall, there are rumors
circulating the Net of the
Lexmark printer gaining access
to the Net and downloading the
lx_cats files without your
knowledge, but this has not been
confirmed. But it’s better to be
safe than sorry.
If you haven’t
installed your printer, simply
uncheck those boxes before
continuing during the
installation process. Make sure
that you do not let your printer
have access to the Net for any
automatic updates from Lexmark.
As stated above, it is
unconfirmed that your printer
could download the lx_cats files
as an automatic update, but it
is confirmed that earlier this
year Lexmark had an automatic
update to its laser printers
that rendered all third party
manufactured chips outdated.
Basically making remanufactured
toner cartridges useless. Go to
www.uninetimaging.com
and look for an old press
release about Lexmark updates
for proof. So it is definitely
feasible that Lexmark might try
something similar with its
inkjet printers.
After
all this ranting…
Lexmark is well known to be
actively against third party
refilling and remanufacturing of
cartridges. From their overuse,
some would say abuse, of the
Millennium Act, suing over the
legal contract created by their
Return Program, and multiple
lawsuits against third-party
suppliers. If the “survey
tracking software” doesn’t
bother you, than that’s a choice
you’re free to make. Myself, I
don’t like the idea of Lexmark
monitoring me through my
printer. Yes, you can
get fairly good Lexmark
printers for a low price
compared to others, but
what’s the point if I have
to spend the same amount I
bought the printer for in
ink every month, and Lexmark
not allowing me to
choose which inks I want
to use in my
printer? I don’t
see much of one.
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