Company blog
English articles are the following:
Is it possible to protect drugs, patients and manufacturers at the same time?
How would the perfect anti-counterfeit protection of drugs look? There would be an advanced hologram or another very strong protection element on each package. The details would be published on the Internet. It could be for instance a sophisticated hologram supplemented by other anti-counterfeit protection elements. In addition to that, the packaging would also include hidden protection. At all places with the Internet access, doctors and other users would be able to identify genuineness of protection elements easily.
Identity thefts through biometric data. It is already here
We have warned several times on this blog that the massive application of biometry is a time bomb, especially if the data are stored in centralised databases. But we also see growth in a number of biometric technology vendors, marketing budgets and new products. Optimism thus prevails in the public space. Risks are underestimated, and they appear as sci-fi issue of a distant feature. But they actually happen.
Fighting fakes or fighting people
The Scottish government has unveiled another round of tender for anti-counterfeit technologies. It is especially interesting that required solution targets rather customer behaviour than fakes sellers. it is assumed that clients buy fakes intentionally. It is a de facto breakthrough because the principle of customer protection is left. The Scottish government tries to protect manufacturers against those citizens to who seek to purchase counterfeited products.
Human rights versus biometry
We may see a series of lawsuits in the U.S. The results are pretty unclear, but it is possible it will influence of ID documents, authentication technologies, and anti-counterfeit protection. From many articles on this topic, we recommend the one from American Security Today. The case demonstrates the development of authentication biometry, including inevitable results.
GDPR brings benefits - to counterfeiters
In a few days, General Data Protection Regulation will become fully operational. This new standard significantly impacts any industry that works with clients, employees, students or other people. It means that every industry will be affected. It does not mean that thousands of inspectors will come to companies on May 26th morning and fine them with devastating sums. But there will be a risk of troubles from the first day and authorities and nonprofits are expected to harden step by step. Those who will ignore the new regulation...
How long will tax-payers tolerate brand protection?
BBC recently published a fascinated article about brand protection, counterfeiting and anti-counterfeiting activities. The view is quite similar to the one promoted on this blog, but BBC goes deeper. It shows that the fight against counterfeiters step by step changes in the fight against customers. No corporation can win in long-term perspective.
There are some market segments with broad consensus between manufacturers and customers about the necessity of brand protection and fakes elimination. It is the case for drugs, alcohol, critical machine parts and any other industry where the purchasers expect some critical qualities. Buying products without these qualities can damage health or cause an incident.
Welcome to safer times?
Watching technological race between document counterfeiters and protection elements manufacturers, we can get an impression that we are entering perilous times when anything can be fake and nobody´s authenticity is sure. We could think that the Internet world, where a 50-year man can be nicknamed as a 12-year girl, is just a beginning of a long-term general trend. No so fast! The reality is more complicated and it is entirely possible that we are entering quite safe times, regarding authentication and identity protection.
A lesson learnt from the history of money
Although this blog focuses mainly on latest technologies and accelerating race of innovations, it is sometimes useful to look back to the history. Our ancestors applied other technologies and procedures but still can learn from their mentality, basic strategy and development of protection of genuineness. For example money...
Price of progress? Price of ignoring security rules!
We meet such situations again and again. A new solution looks impressive at first sight but looking at the details we see risks everywhere. We can thus foresee that some of the risks will materialize, the number of frauds will grow, data can be compromised, and responsible managers will talk about foreign spies meddling... The log can be avoided if old and proven security rules were taken seriously.
Interview with Dr. Jermolajev, a co-founder of Optaglio
At the very beginning, we concentrated on making current technology work perfectly. It was not easy because the printing of holograms was quite a new industry, definitely not older than five years. The technology was not mature yet, neither machines nor printing materials. We needed to learn a lot.
Starting with something, you try to catch the best ones. From a certain point, it is not the right strategy anymore. If I try to catch somebody, I will be always the back one. If I want to become the leader, I need to concentrate on something that nobody can do.
The full interview is available here.
Brand protection through track&trace? Beware personal data protection!
In three months from today, new European legislation about personal data protection will become effective. The companies will spend billions of euros on new rules implementation. At the same time, jobs for thousands of experts and consultants will be created. Media are already overflown with GDPR articles. Therefore we start with only a brief introduction.
The full article is available here.
Bowater under water?
News that Bowater Industries, a large hologram manufacturer, undergoes financial restructuring, did not attract big attention. However, it should do because it is not just interesting information about a particular company but rather about the entire industry. Bowater did not produce cheap first-generation holograms. Bowater manufacturers volume holograms. This technology is not so highly resistant against imitation as e-beam lithography but creates more distinctive visual effects.
The full article is available here.
ID cards with fingerprints. Secure biometry. Finally
Although we know that technology develops fast, we are surprised again and again. It is not just matter of anti-counterfeit protection but rather authentication technology in general. Look e.d. at fingerprint protected payments cards and ID cards. Less than a year ago, we mentioned it as a tremendously progressed toy used only by some French casinos. During the last two weeks, both Eurocard and Visa have announced pilots in Europe, with the outlook of massive implementations.
The full article is available here.
Post-biometric future?
It is often reminded on this blog that biometric applications create a range of new risks. We are not the only one who warns. Nevertheless, the growth of the biometric sector is tremendous. Let us take just today announcements. Japanese JCB introduces payments authorised by palm. In Cyprus, cards protected with fingerprint are introduced. Similar projects are started in Germany and Netherlands. Zimbabwe launches biometric e-Passports. Airports in Australia starts to apply face recognition. Some market analysts foresee market slowdown for this year but the prevailing long-term tendency is still robust growth.
The full article is available here.
Fake policemen and helpless citizens
Some half a year ago we mentioned on this blog that Czech Police ID cards and badges have virtually no protection. We stated that it created enormous risks for citizens. It was our reaction to a series of thefts done by a criminal with fake police ID card. It was easy to see that it could be much worse. "What if the false policemen handcuffed a shop assistant and took her," we asked?
It happened. A few weeks ago, there was a case in front of the regional court in Usti nad Labem. Three pensioners kidnapped a woman using false police badges. They did not need any sophisticated technology. They had no police uniforms and were even too cheap to buy police handcuffs. They instead used a sex-shop toy.
The full article is available here.
Do you lock your door? So why you don´t protect your brand?
Brand protection is discussed quite often on this blog. The issue is growing and it will likely continue to grow. The impact is more and more palpable, the defence is more and more difficult. The manufacturers try to move costs to other players, such as marketplace operators. These requirements are often too high and lead to the market destruction.
A few days ago media informed that watches produced by Swatch group (including Omega, Longines and Calvin Klein) would not be available on Amazon. The internet giant fails to implement anti-counterfeit protection requirements.
The full article is available here.
Forming an effective anti-counterfeiting strategy
Packaging with strong anti-counterfeit protection can enhance product revenues by tens of percent. However, it is critical to define the right strategy, selection of elements and not underestimate supporting activities such as customer communication – write Optaglio´s Libor Šustr and Petr Hampl for Packaging Europe.
MarkMonitor research has recently shown that managers of more than 86% brands believe their business is significantly damaged by counterfeiting. Most of them say they lose between 10 – 50 % of revenues. In addition to revenue decreases, brands are impacted by low quality or even dangerous products circulating in the market.
The full article is available here.
Brand protection, market destruction?
Amazon´s troubles with forgeries have been discussed a lot. Also, this blog has already given some space to this topic. In the meantime, the situation has become even worse. Amazon was targeted by several suits. Manufacturers complain that fakes of their products are sold on Amazon. Clients complain because they bought fake brand sunglasses and other products. Litigations target the process that is at the very core of Amazon activities and which started from its book business. The user writes a name of a book and the e-shop shows all relevant offers from different book-sellers. The latest edition, older editions, different publishers, new books, second hands, paperbacks, hard covered, etc. You can just select. Amazing. A dream of any book addict.
The full version of the article is available here.
Centralised biometry as an extreme sport
A few weeks ago, American telecoms giant, Verison, had to admit that hackers got access to data on 6 million clients. A month earlier, there was a leakage of data about 14 million people in the same company. UniCredit Bank can be quite happy because „only“ 400 000 customers personal data was compromised. In the meantime, Swedish police were not able to protect information about people who are currently under investigation. However, all of these cases are pretty small in comparison with the fact that unprotected information about 200 million American citizens, including their preferences and interests, got to the Internet during last presidential campaign.
The full version of the article is available here.
ID cards in smartphones? Quite clever
Not long ago, an article was published on this blog underlining necessity to make a difference between processes of identification and authentication. Identification aims at learning who is the person I deal with. We can e.g. learn that the person is Mr. Smith from London, born February 6, 1970. Authentication consists in proving that this alleged Mr. Smith is really the person he claims to be. Making the clear difference between these processes is useful for thinking about mobile ID concept. Recently, several companies, such as HID and Gemalto, introduced this idea, which is quite simple. A new application, virtual ID card, will be downloaded into user´s smartphone. There is no need to carry another card, a risk of loss is eliminated, the solution is cheaper than physical document production…
The full version of the article is available here.
Why identification is not authentication
Universal enthusiasm toward biometry leads to dramatic underestimation of some risks. It has been already discussed on this blog, and the discussion will go on. Today we remind a proven principle of information security. If this principle were not ignored, the recent troubles would not appear.
The full version of the article is available here.
You can replace neither a document nor a person. For the time being
Security documents experts around the world met in London last week. At SDW event, you could see lectures and presentations, meet innovations, take part in discussions. We will be returning to main points of SDW at our blog. In this article, we focus on a fundamental presentation by Silvia Kolligs-Tuffery from European Commission where an anti-counterfeiting action plan is currently under preparation.
The full version of the article is available here.
Welcome to the raceway
The right marking enables creating a product that cannot be imitated at all. To reach such goal, you need to the right technology, inspired design, and extensive communication. Not long ago, it was published that Amazon´s portfolio includes some fakes. The internet giant is not deceitful; it just cannot examine all third party items of its vast portfolio. The case of Amazon is just an illustration of the size and strength of counterfeiting industry. It grew up together with the growth of e-commerce and OECD now estimates that fakes for USD 500 billion are sold each year.
The full version of the article from Marketing Sales Media magazine can be found here.
False policemen paradise
Two weeks ago, a false policeman came to a post office in Jezov (Czech Republic) a took „contaminated“ banknotes for tens of thousands Czech Crowns. It was not an isolated case. Web search engines show many similar cases from last several years, both from the Czech Republic and abroad. Here we are facing a critical aspect of ID cards, although this point is not discussed often. ID cards are often examined in connection with a border crossing and other situations where people are checked by law enforcement officers. Of course, they need to examine masses of people and work efficiently. Nevertheless...
Amazon in troubles? Producers in troubles!
Not long ago it happened that somebody bought a premium brand (LifeProof) smartphone case on Amazon. He called to the producer, checked a production number and found that the item was a fake. It appears there are more and more cases like that. The stories circulate on social networks, and Amazon reputation is impacted. „If you were shopping at Walmart and on the same shelf you found counterfeit Beats by Dre headphones right next to the authentic product, and the liability was on you to determine which was real, would you keep shopping at Walmart?,“ asks Michael Sacca on Brandisty blog.
OPTAGLIO opens its new research center for forensic protection
OPTAGLIO today announced the establishment of a research center focused on forensic aspects of anti-counterfeit protection technologies for different types of documents. This center will work as a separate unit closely connected to OPTAGLIO Labs. The new unit equipped with a broad range of technical accessories will be able to simulate different types of attacks against documents such as removal of protective elements. It will focus on strategies for protection against such attacks and development of new technologies. New anti-counterfeit measures will be thoroughly tested to make sure their applicability in the environment of real production (speed, batches, lamination temperature, pressures etc.) The center is partly subsidized by EU funds.
OPTAGLIO believes ‘smart’ signs will improve traffic safety
OPTAGLIO, the global leader in e-beam lithography, is in the final stage of development of a smart traffic sign which is able to focus most of its luminance to a particular passage of a street. It is expected to accelerate drivers reaction and enhance traffic security. It may play an important role in a smart city concept currently prepared by governments and some technology corporations.
Interactive traffic signing is an important feature of a smart city concept. It can direct car streams and control their speed according to the momentary traffic density, environmental situation, schools timetable, shifts in factories etc. This interactivity brings strong benefits but creates new demands on drivers. It will not be possible to rely on memory and knowledge of a place anymore. A smart sign with an ability to increase shining on a particular car at a particular moment can be very helpful.
Full text of the article from Government security news is here.
Anti-counterfeit protection as a showcase of a state
How is Czech currency protected against counterfeiting? On banknotes such as 100 CZK and 200 CZK you can find basic measures (metallic stripe and watermark) but no advanced protective elements. Nothing like security inks or even a security hologram. For comparison look at the new fiver and you can see a difference at least two technological generations. If the difference was caused by budget limitations or short-term underestimation of the issue, there was no need to discuss it length. However, it looks rather as the general attitude of the Czech administration.
Full version fo the post is available here.
Technologies for the anti-counterfeit protection of machine parts - I.
Counterfeiting of industrial machines parts is a big issue for the entire manufacturing industry. It is often discussed and corporations spend huge resources on anti-counterfeit protection measures and campaigns. There are some results but no big improvement has been seen until now. Microholograms, an interesting technology deloped by OPTAGLIO from Lochovice, Czech Republic, may be the solution. It may enable manufacturers to create certainty of genuineness based on the part on its own rather than on a database entry or packaging.
The first part of an English translation of an article from Tech Magazín is available here.
Technologies for the anti-counterfeit protection of machine parts - II.
Building a computer system and processes for following of part „traveling“ through distribution channels helps. However, it is laboursame and expensive, and it does not create a full guarantee of genuineness. Parts are still not banknotes. It is no wonder that there is still a big interest in technologies for marking rather parts itself than packaging.
The second part of an English translation of an article from Tech Magazín is available here.
Holograms to be smaller, nicer and more important
People will need a personal document or another physical carrier of personal information for their identification and authentication also in future. Counterfeiting of documents will become more and more difficult a most people will be able to recognize genuine from falsified easily. Holograms will play a key role in this development. It is stated in a paper about next decade holograms prepared by OPTAGLIO researchers.
English translation of an article from ScienceMag is available here.
Five reasons why we need (and will need) physical documents
Time to time people working in anti-counterfeiting protection industry meet the following objection. Isn’t the industry on the verge of extinction? Don’t we enter an era without physical documents and with all identity information?
OPTAGLIO transforms to a joint-stock company to accelerate its growth
PRESS RELEASE (Lochovice – March 15, 2017) – OPTAGLIO, a provider of advanced security holograms and the global market leader in e-beam lithography, today announced it transformation into a joint-stock company. This change is to support the company’s further growth, attracting investment and possibly also a future entrance of a stock exchange.
Hologram dust adds fingerprint to secure ID documents
Secure hologram leader, OPTAGLIO, is using holographic “digital dust” not just deter document fraud but to uniquely identify individual documents from an issuer. Think of it this way: using the technology, each passport, card or secure ID document can have a unique fingerprint that lets the document itself be authenticated.
The company has several new negotiated contracts to incorporate the patented new product, OPTAGLIO OVImage. It both protects against counterfeiting and also enables the identification of a particular document, even if that document has been tampered with or altered.
An article from SecureIDnews.com is available from here.
