Building on recent search-and-seizure operations in South Africa to crack down on counterfeits of its Reinzosil silicone sealant for automotive components, Victor Reinz® (a Dana brand) has now introduced high-security ‘Dana Secure’ labels on its products, accompanied by a customer awareness campaign.

At High Security Printing™ Asia, held in Thailand, IDEMIA Smart Identity launched a new security feature called IDQR.

Report confirms falsification of medical devices in EU; election, democracy, and authentication; International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) launches Security Image Register (SIR) for the authentication industry....

As we move into 2025, this overview highlights trends and developments that caught the attention of Authentication & Brand News™ (ABN) in 2024 and that could continue to shape the industry.

A paper published by researchers at Ulster University, the University of Central Lancashire, and Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, warns that prohibitions on the sale of pill presses and die punches, designed to restrict the production of counterfeit medicines, may be undermined by new technologies like 3D printing.

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) has embarked on the next chapter in its history, with a new name reflecting its commitment to serving a broader ecosystem of optical technologies. That new name is the International Optical Technologies Association (IOTA).

In the continuing fight against counterfeiting, eInk and ePaper technologies are emerging as vital tools, combining dynamic visual capabilities with robust anticounterfeiting features. While both technologies are distinct in their operational principles, in this article we will explore their joint ability to offer secure, flexible, and energy-efficient authentication solutions.

The Amazon rainforest, beautiful beaches, the song ‘Garota de Ipanema’, race car drivers and football players all come to mind when one thinks of Brazil. Unfortunately, the enormity and diversity of a country the size of Brazil, and the challenges that arise from trying to govern it, have given way to a country that is also known for high rates of crime and violence.

Uganda’s Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has urged lawmakers to expedite the passage of the Anticounterfeit Goods and Services (ACG&S) Bill 2023 before the end of the year.

Earlier this year, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) was warning that deepfakes – ie. video, audio and image content that seem real but are actually manipulated with AI – had been used to try to influence election results

Scientists at the John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, Australia, have developed a technique for ‘fingerprinting’ lithium, a key ingredient in energy storage systems and rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles.

Digimarc Corporation, a NASDAQ-listed provider of digital watermarking technologies, has announced new developments in two main areas: brand protection and plastics recycling.

Haelixa and Italy’s leading fashion retailer OVS have renewed their cotton traceability partnership for a second year. Using Haelixa’s DNA marker technology, cotton grown in Italy is marked at the gin, close to the farm.

TotalEnergies Lubrifiants has partnered with SCRIBOS (part of the KURZ group) to implement its ValiGate® Direct Print solution on lubricants.

Throughout 2024, major brands announced acquisitions, signalling industry consolidation and a growing focus on expanding authentication and identity security portfolios. This article examines some of the key acquisitions and highlights how diversification and innovation drive sector growth.

The world’s first multilateral crypto-stamp has been issued by postal authorities in Luxembourg, Austria, Netherlands, and Belgium, as a limited edition, marking the fact that these digital-physical collectors’ items are continuing to gain traction.

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology have developed an innovative metasurface that exhibits distinct optical responses based on the direction of incoming light1. Named after the two-faced Roman god Janus, these metasurfaces can manipulate light differently depending on the direction it comes from. This unique ability could help to authenticate secure communications.

Since the late 19th century, fingerprinting has been an indispensable tool for identity verification and forensic investigation. After the initial idea of cataloguing to allow comparisons between prints for purposes of identification was formulated by Sir Francis Galton, fingerprinting became the first biometric measure accepted globally for criminal investigations. This approach provided a standardised method, eventually leading to extensive fingerprint databases used in law enforcement.

In 2024, Japan captured global attention with its advances in anticounterfeiting. The Land of the Rising Sun, known for blending tradition with technology, is setting global security standards in ensuring that everything from currency to cosmetics remains genuine. This article describes recent developments.

Securikett has unveiled new security labels featuring a cut indicator designed specifically for online shipping.