[LINK] HP Printers surreptitiously collecting your data

[David]

It raises a question about how one can control which applications call home.

Is it possible for a USB-connected device to access the IP network directly?  Or would the HP printer in question have to use its driver to do so?

Years ago a Windows package known as "ZoneAlarm" if I remember correctly could control which programs were allowed network access, and programs were uniquely identified with an MD5 or similar hash.  When an unverified program attempted to access the network, ZoneAlarm popped up an alarm to which the user could respond with 'pass' or 'block'.  I think the product or company was sold to Checkpoint Technologies.

How is it possible to defend against such privacy intrusions?

David L.