LONDON, July 19 The source of a version of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" that was leaked online could be traced through digital DNA, British computer experts said.
The experts said Thursday they could determine what type of digital camera was used to photograph the pages of the highly anticipated book, and possibly learn where the leaked material originated, The Times of London reported.
"In theory, we can find out which country the camera was sold in and in turn the warranty and service center records in that country could be checked," said Canon product intelligence officer Vic Solomon. "It would take a lot of work, but there's a good chance they could find him or her."
Solomon said each time a photo is taken with a digital camera, Exif -- exchangeable image file format -- data are created.
"The Exif data (are) like the picture's DNA; you can't switch it off," he told the newspaper. "Every image has it. Some software can be used to strip or edit the information, but you can't edit every field."
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