Watch Out: The Copiers Hard Drive May Eat Your Privacy

I just read the news from CBS NEWS talking about the security risk of photocopier. I don't know how much of you know about this. The news was really astonishing and shocked everyone who has read the report. You may read the report from this YouTobe video "Copy Machine, Security Risks".
In this report according to a survey held by SHARP in 2008 that “60% of Americans don’t know that photocopiers store images on hard drives!” It reported that SHARP would charge you additional 500$ if you wanted to erase the stored image information on each photocopier. That sounds really ridiculous.
After watching the video and searching some materials about how photocopiers work, finally some information comes out to the surface.
How will photocopier steal your files or information?
It is estimated that nearly every photocopier built after 2002 contains a so-called hard drive. Like one of your personal computers, it stores image of every documents, scan, copy or email by the machine. The initial design aims to raise the speed of the copy or print processes. When each page of the original work passes over the copy surface, the photocopier scans a digital image of the work using a so-called digital scanner. Depending on the quality of the photocopiers, the digital scan may take from about one second to almost half a minute. Although some very high-end photocopiers can copy one or more pages a second, most copiers process about one page every five to ten seconds. And those high-end photocopier are most likely to attach hard drives. Once the digital image is scanned, it may be manipulated to comply with controls set by the user. After the image is scanned in to memory and manipulated to the user’s preference, it is ready to be printed. Be careful here: after your copy or print demand finished, the file or documents you dealt with is still kept on the photocopier hard drive by means of images. This is why the photocopier may steal your private files even without your permission.
Even if the scanned file images are deleted or formatted from the hard disk after you pay SHARP extra 500$(just imagine), are the images really gone? Absolutely not, those files are also recoverable as you may know if you have learned kind of data recovery. Those deleted or formatted files can be recovered with some file recovery programs, or more preciously image recovery.
So how can we get rid of this photocopier problem and protect our files?
Here are a few tips recommended,
1>> Better not use leased photocopiers from some unknown leasing companies . If have to, make sure your important files are erased permanently by means of several low-lever format or destroying hard drive before deadline.
2>>If possible, try using some low-level photocopiers without hard drives inside.
3>>Don’t copy or print documents or paper containing precious information or privacy outside of your home or company.
Final conclusion:all in all, when we are using some "hi-tech" products, especially digital media. We should always bear in mind the security first and keep an eye on the potential risk. Photocopier has taught us a lession.