- Ghost Guns highlights the darkest side of modern 3D printing technology
- Fingerprint systems can embed time marks, geolocations and printer identification data
- The side offers ragged methods resistant to rest for forensic data recovery
The increase in 3D printing has offered new ways of producing tools, spare parts and even art. However, its darker use has caught attention through “ghost guns.”
These are firearms produced outside the regulatory systems, which are difficult to track and have already been involved in violent crimes, including the murder of 2024 of the CEO of United of United Brian Thompson.
Fortunately, researchers now believe that even if someone crushes such an object, researchers could still recover valuable forensic information.
Building a hidden digital footprint system
The idea of ​​fingerprints in 3D printing is not entirely new. Several approaches integrate unique information into printed elements, often including details such as time brands, identification of printers and geolocation data.
Until now, a weakness has remained: what happens when a printed object breaks into pieces or is deliberately manipulated?
A team led by Netanel Raviv at the University of Washington in St. Louis has developed a system designed to resist such attempts.
Its frame, called safe information on embedding and extraction (side), uses mathematical methods that allow fragments to retain enough encoded details so that researchers recover the key information.
The lateral system is based on previous works presented in the IEEE International Symposium on information theory in 2024, which focused on encoding methods resistant enough to reconstruct the data of partial remains.
When extending those ideas, the current study adds security mechanisms that may require 3D printers to include such fingerprints automatically.
According to researchers, SIDE not only adds brands, but uses loss tolerant inlays. This means that even a deliberately divided weapon can still produce identifiable data during forensic analysis.
On the one hand, fingerprint techniques could make it difficult for illegal weapons to circulate without being detected.
On the other hand, this raises questions about the scope of surveillance, control over personal manufacturing and balance between safety and privacy.
A 3D printer for beginners used for harmless projects at home could soon be subject to the same requirements as industrial machines if regulators decide to demand such systems.
While the debate will probably focus on ghost weapons, the side has potential uses far beyond arms tracking.
Any article produced with a 3D printer could, in theory, carry this invisible firm.
Combined with AI tools for patterns recognition and data recovery, researchers could rebuild timelines and identities from plastic or resin fragments.
“This work opens new ways of protecting the public from the harmful aspects of 3D printing through a combination of mathematical contributions and new security mechanisms,” said Netanel Raviv, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering at the University of Washington in St. Louis.
“While the side has limitations to defend against ingenious attackers with a great experience in 3D printing, the level of sophistication, prior knowledge and experience required of the adversary increases to remain without being detected after committing the crime.”
Through Techxplore
