MS PAINT AND PHOTOS SILENTLY EMBED HIDDEN WATERMARKS

Security researcher Xu Sheng discovered that both Paint and Photos add hidden metadata to image files, embedding unique identifiers that could theoretically track image provenance or creation. The watermarks are embedded invisibly within the image data itself, not just in standard metadata fields, making them difficult to detect or remove without specialized knowledge. This occurs regardless of whether images are generated locally or require network access. The finding raises questions about user privacy and consent, as most users remain unaware that their locally created content carries embedded identifiers. Microsoft has not publicly disclosed this watermarking behavior in either application's documentation. The discovery gained significant traction in tech communities, with over 300 upvotes and 133 comments on Hacker News, indicating widespread interest in the implications for digital privacy and image authenticity. Microsoft has not yet commented on the practice or provided clarification on its purpose.