Top Anti-Counterfeiting Technologies in 2021
Counterfeiting is a global scourge of epic proportions causing a gargantuan loss of revenue as well as a danger to people’s well-being. That being stated, there are anti-counterfeiting technologies available to neutralize the threat. Let us look at the promising technologies in 2021:
Electronic Technologies
These comprise a host of technologies like RFID, NFC, electronic seals, magnetic stripes and contact chips.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology
The ability to deliver information, goods and services on time, in full measure and without error is at the heart of a firm’s success in these times of hyper global competitions.
Radio Frequency Identification Technology makes it possible to strengthen a supply chain. This technology enables you to uniquely identify each container, pallet, case and item that needs to be manufactured, marketed and shipped. It not only enhances the visibility of the supply chain but also ensures the implementation of an anti-counterfeiting mechanism. RFID technology track and trace systems double up as effective anti-counterfeit mechanisms.
Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology
Using NFC Tags is a very effective way of fighting counterfeiting. Hitherto available only to high end brands who could afford it, but has now found more use among a larger number of brands.
NFC tags can be used for brand protection and consumer engagement. For this you can deploy an NFC chip reader software of NFC enabled smartphone capable of reading NFC tags.
Then there are others who provide an open platform allowing all manner of product manufacturers and brand owners to access the NFC technology quite cheaply.
Electronic Seals
Electronic seals are used by organizations and institutions to their secure documents. An organization can use electronic seals to verify the antecedents of things like paychecks and contracts. Only specific people are granted the permission by their organizations to add electronic seals to documents.
Magnetic Stripes
You will typically find these on the back of credit and debit cards. These carry data that can be read when the magnetic stripe is swiped through a card reader. Magnetic stripes comprise a single layer of PVC which is further covered by minute magnetic resin particles.
The information on these stripes can be read by way of a physical contact with a device that can read it. As the confidential information is embedded physically into magnetic stripes, it cannot be altered.
Contact Chips
This technology involves embedding a microchip into a plastic card. The microchip is seeded with unique product data that can be read by dipping the part of the card containing the chip into a card reader. This technology is most commonly used in the case of hotel room keys and prepaid cards.
Marking Technologies
There are a number of marking technologies deployed as effective counterfeiting measures in 2021. These include optical memory stripes, machine-readable codes, security holograms, inks, encrypted images, watermarks, micro texts, unique identifier marks and copy detection patterns.
Optical Memory Chips
This is nothing but a laser reading device capable of storing data and images to the extent of 4 MB. This is a read only device, which prevents the data in it from ever being changed. This stripe can be embedded into a plastic card or even imprinted on the product it is meant to secure and this technology sees great use in document security.
Machine Readable Codes
These codes are also quite popular as barcodes and are used to identify something by way of their ability to be read by optical scanning devices. These codes contain unique product related data like date and place of manufacture, the expiry date and so on making it possible to track, trace and identify products quite easily.
Security Holograms
Security holograms help identify optical devices that rely on variable diffractive images to function. The visual imagery thus created varies according to the lighting and viewing angle. Holograms can be used to bolster anti-counterfeiting efforts by its unique ability to authenticate products.
Security Inks
Special ink-based technologies can be used to authenticate products, as well as identify and track a product on the basis of a unique product identification code that can be included in the marking. Among the several types of inks that are used in this fashion are UV sensitive inks, IR sensitive inks, magnetic inks, OVI and iridescent inks, thermochromic inks, reactive inks and penetrating inks.
Encrypted Images
This technology involves embedding encrypted information into images or backgrounds of documents. This encoded information is invisible to the naked eye and becomes visible only when viewed with a special decoding lens. This technology is largely used in the case of documents, cheques and other kinds of important documents.
Watermarks
These are patterns inserted into paper during production. This is done by inserting pressure upon the substrate in the form of a text or a pattern causing the paper to thin out in those specific areas. This allows extra light to seep through the thinner part, thereby displaying the watermarked image.
Watermarks can be found on bank notes as well as things like tickets, identity documents and so on.
Microtexts
This technology involves replicating a text or a document on a micro scale and making it readable only via specialized equipment. These are primarily used in bank notes and packaging (printed on documents or the package itself).
Unique Identifier Marks
This technology is all about putting in hidden or visible identifiers into products or documents. When visible, these markers appear like random ink spots or smudges. You can use this technology directly on documents and packages or these could be printed directly onto labels.
Copy-Detection Patterns
These also go by the name secure graphics and comprise small random or partly random digital images printed on packaging, documents or products to call out counterfeits. Authentication is carried out with the help of an algorithm that detects any difference between the amount of information in the scanned copy detection pattern and the original. This technology is useful in securing documents, products and packaging.
Taggants
Taggants are chemical or physical markers added to materials to serve as their unique “fingerprint” allowing for authentication and various forms of testing. Typically, covert and forensic taggants consist of inorganic luminescent particles, which convert incoming invisible light into another type of invisible light that can only be measured with a customized detector. Their unique forensic security features can be verified via standard laboratory tests in local or international laboratories.
Taggants provide the maximum covert protection against counterfeits.