Authentication Based Solutions to Counterfeiting of Manufactured Goods

TL;DR

This paper explores authentication solutions to combat counterfeit goods, using analogies to digital signatures and encryption, focusing on tamper-proof packaging and one-time passwords for products like pharmaceuticals and currencies.

Contribution

It introduces novel authentication methods inspired by digital security principles to prevent identity theft and counterfeiting of manufactured goods.

Findings

Tamper-proof packaging acts as encryption to prevent interference.

One-time passwords inside packaging enable online authentication.

Solutions are adaptable for both destructible and non-destructible goods.

Abstract

Counterfeiting of manufactured goods is presented as the theft of intellectual property, patents, copyright etc. accompanied by identity theft. The purpose of the identity theft is to facilitate the intellectual property theft. Without it the intellectual property theft would be obvious and the products would be confiscated and destroyed. Authentication solutions, to prevent identity theft, were then developed for the two categories of manufactured goods i.e. goods which can be subjected to destructive screening strategies and goods which cannot e.g. pharmaceutical drugs and currencies, respectively. The solutions developed were found to be analogous to digital signatures. Tamper proof packaging on pharmaceutical drugs is analogous to encryption because it prevents Mallory from interfering with the product. Breaking the tamper proof packaging is a one-way function. Concealed inside the packaging a one-time password, which can be used to authenticate the product over the internet. The name of the authentication website must be common knowledge, just like a public key for authenticating digital signatures. Otherwise the counterfeiters will specify their own authentication website. This solution can be altered for currencies i.e. the one-way function, equivalent to opening the tamper proof packaging, becomes the method of manufacture of the currency.