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AUTHENTICATION GLOSSARY
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Below are some of the common terms used to describe authentication practices, processes and products. If you would like to contribute further terms and definitions, please contact info@intlaa.org. Please note that only generic terms are included, and not trademarks, trade names or other marketing terminology specific to individual companies and their products.
Alphanumeric: a character set that contains letters and numbers.
Algorithm: an iterative mathematical procedure used to combine information to create a cipher or secret code. The basis of many proprietary coding systems.
Assay: a test carried out on a mixture of metals with the object of determining the content or composition. The term is usually applied to the determination of the percentage of precious metal (gold, silver, platinum etc) in an alloy with a view to determining its value. In the case of authentication industry, it generally refers to the detection of the presence and concentration of taggants or markers.
Authentic: real, genuine, valid, of undisputed origin. Authentication is the process of confirming that a product, document or even person is authentic.
Barcode: a series of vertical printed bars of controlled thickness and separation representing variable data information in a linear format. A 2D barcode consists of a representation of solid and clear images (usually squares) in a matrix format over a specific two dimensional structure.
Biometrics: technologies that use human features such as fingerprints or retinal eye patterns to identify individuals.
Cipher: an encrypted message representing a range of characters.
Code: a system of letters or symbols by means of which information may be represented.
Colour shift: an optically variable effect whereby the material – usually a thin film or ink – changes from one colour to another, or from one colour to clear, when the viewing angle is altered.
Counterfeit: an imitation of a document, product or its packaging that is made with the intent to deceptively represent the item as the genuine article.
Covert: a concealed or hidden feature that is not apparent and can only be viewed via with special reading or lighting equipment (see overt).
Datamatrix: a barcode consisting of many lines of linear barcodes arranged into a rectangular or square format Its advantage is that it can carry much more information than a single, linear barcode. It is also known as a 2D barcode.
Decryption: the process of converting encrypted data back into its original form (see encryption)
Diffractive optically variable device (DOVID): the collective term for images that display complex visual effects that change according to the viewing angle, based on the phenomenon of diffraction. These effects are varied, and are typically three dimensional (exhibiting depth as well as width and height), kinetic, multi channel (in which one image, or part of an image, changes into another) or animation (images with these effects are known as stereograms). DOVIDs are created either via the interference of two laser beams (ie holograms) or through direct write processes using an electron or laser beam.
Digifeiting: the reproduction (as in counterfeiting) of documents and packaging using digital reprographic technology.
Digital printing: the reproduction of digital images and data on physical surfaces via inkjet, laser or dot matrix printers. The images are transferred directly to the printer and the process is particularly suited for documents, labels etc with variable data.
Digital watermark: digital data embedded directly within video, audio or print content which is imperceptible to humans but readable by computers.
Diversion: genuine goods distributed outside of and often in violation of authorized distribution channels (also known as parallel trading)
Embossing: the transfer of a raised pattern from a hard plate to a softer material. This mechanical transfer is usually facilitated by means of heat and always with pressure. Holograms are produced by such a process but here the raised pattern is extremely fine and cannot be felt by touch but can be seen by the eye as a colored image. The hard plate used to produce the embossed effect is usually nickel and the material to which the pattern is transferred is usually polyester.
Encoding: the recording of information onto a receptive medium.
Encryption: the adaptation of information using ciphers so that unauthorised access is restricted.
E-pedigree: an electronic statement of a product’s history and passage through the supply chain, with each movement and trade recorded so that, at any point in the chain and at its end, the lineage of the product can be obtained.
Flexo printing (flexography): the method of printing whereby a mirrored 3D relief of the required image is made in a rubber or polymer material. A measured amount of ink is deposited upon the surface of the printing plate, the print surface then rotates, making contacting with the print material (substrate) and transferring the ink.
Fluorescence: the ability of some molecules or materials to absorb light of one wavelength (color) and re-emit it at a different wavelength. The emitted light ceases to be emitted as soon as the excitation light is extinguished. There is no persistence of emitted light as in the case of phosphorescence.
Foil: a material comprising a polyester carrier with one or more coatings, a release layer and an adhesive layer. The foil is transferred – generally by heat – onto paper, labelstock, textiles etc and the carrier is stripped away, leaving the coating which is bonded to the substrate by the adhesive. This coating can be colour shift, irridesence, metallised, holographic etc. Also known as hot stamping or transfer foil.
Font: a specific style and size of type face
Forensic markers: see Taggants
Frangible: capable of being broken. Refers to security labels which break up when removed or tampered with.
Gravure printing: a method of printing using a plate with many small etched recesses.
Guilloche: geometric patterns comprising complex patterns of interlaced or interwoven curved fine lines
Hologram: optically variable image that is created through the interference of two laser beams. Holograms are the most common type of diffractive optically variable device (or DOVID – see above) and the term hologram is frequently used as a generic one in place of DOVID – not only because it is easier to pronounce but because the effects of holograms are similar to those of images created by the other, non-interference based, techniques.
Infra red (IR): that part of the electromagnetic spectrum that lies immediately beyond red light and therefore invisible to the naked eye.
Intaglio printing: the area of the image to be printed is recessed into the surface of the printing plate via engraving or etching and the recessed areas filled with ink. This area is filled with high viscosity inks, the excess is wiped from the plates and heavy pressure is applied to transfer the ink to the paper. The resulting raised ink profile gives intaglio-printed documents their characteristic tactility.
Iridescent: the ability of some materials to create rainbow effects when they reflect white light.Pearls, oil films on water and bubbles all show iridescence. The effect can be created with foils and inks to create optically variable devices.
Isotope: one or more atoms with the same atomic number but a different number of neutrons
Level 1, 2 and 3 security features: a commonly-used means of grading security features.
- Level 1 refers to features that can be verified by the public and untrained examiners with the naked eye.
- Level 2 refers to covert feature that require some form of reading device or took, and typically deployed for use by, for example, cashiers in banks, product distributiors and retailers, inspectors or customs officials
- Level 3 refers to features that can only be identified under forensic examination in laboratories and used by the IP owner or manufacturer to provide forensic authentication of a product or document that could, for eample, be used as proof in a court of law
Lock and key: a system of encryption whereby something (the ‘key’) is required to decode the message. The ‘key’ is usually a handheld device which renders meaningful that which was previously unintelligible. Possession of the key is restricted to certain individuals thereby limiting access to the encrypted information.
Luminescence: a collective term for the effects of colour change or other visible characteristics under different sources of illumination
Metamerism: the effect generated when using a pair of similarly shaded inks, the colour and contrast of which appear virtually identical in normal light, but which have different spectral responses so that, when viewed with a filter or under special illumination, one displays different effects or colours to the other.
Micron: a unit of measurement commonly used in authentication when referring to the thickness or gauge of physical substrates and features. One micron is equal to one millionth (10-6) of a meter.
Microprint: print that is so small that it cannot be reproduced by photocopying or scanning, and which can only be read under magnification
Moiré patterns: images formed by the superimposition of two patterns with different periodicities, so that they display different visual effects according to the viewing angle
Nanotechnology: the science and technology of precisely manipulating the structure of matter at the atomic and molecular level (one nanometer is one billionth of meter) and, in the authentication arena, is being used to explore and develop unique optical phenomena for use in new material and security features.
Offset printing: the technique whereby ink is spread on a metal plate with etched images, then transferred to an intermediary surface such as a rubber blanket, and finally applied to paper by pressing the paper against the intermediary surface. Also known as lithography
Optically variable device (OVD): visible features with dynamic characteristics that change according to the viewing angle – for example from one colour to another, or from one image to another
Overt: features that are apparent and visible, and can be viewed without additional readers or instruments.
Phosphoresence: a fluorescence that continues for a period after the stimulus that produced the emission has stopped.
Piracy: illegal reproduction and distribution of copyright material, generally taken to be audio and video content.
Planchettes: microscopic discs made of film or plastic ctoaing features such as UV, IR and even holograms. They can be visible or invisible and are embedded into paper during manufacture.
Polarisation: the orientation of light waves into a predominating angle. If all the waves in a beam of light move up and down or from side to side together, the beam is said to be plane-polarised. Some materials have the ability to filter out all light waves except those in a particular direction. Other materials are said to be optically active if they are able to change the angle of a plane-polarised beam of light. Liquid crystals often have this property and this enables them to be detected.
RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device): small microchips containing, or able to contain, unique and individual information related to the item to which the chip is attached. The chip, and therefore the information, is addressed by means of radio waves which are conveyed to the chip by means of an attached antenna. These devices are now so small that they can be neatly implanted into plastic cards or paper. They can typically be detected at distances ranging from a few millimetres to several meters. Long range detection requires large antennae.
Screen printing: a process that uses a fine mesh with an impermeable coating, selected areas of which have been removed to allow the ink to pass through.
Serialisation: the application of a unique identifier to each unit in a lot or batch. The identifiers are numbers but might be printed as alphanumerics or barcodes or might be embedded in a chip activated by radio frequency (RFID). The numbers may be sequential or randomly generated; what is important is the same number should not be used twice.
Simulation: packaging or products which do not use the exact same trademark as the original but which look very substantially similar
Spectroscopy: the analysis of the wavelength and intensity of a specific area of the electromagnetic spectrum in order to undertake a qualitative or quantitative analysis
Security threads: polyester threads that are either fully or partially embedded down the length of the paper into paper during the paper forming process. Fully embedded threads – typically less than 1.8mm wide - can only be viewed when the document is held up to the light. Partially embedded threads appear intermittently on one side of the paper. They are typically up to 4mm wide and act as carriers for a range of overt or visible security features
Security fibres: small fibres randomly distributed throughout the paper while it is still in the pulp form. The fibres may be colored or impregnated with fluorescent dyes only visible under UV light.
Substrate: the material or base – eg paper or film - to which a feature is applied, or in which it is incorporated.
Symbology: for authentication purposes, the generic term to describe the technology on which a coding or serialisation system is based
Taggant: molecular or microscopic particles that can be organic or inorganic in composition and exhibit specific and unique physical, biological, chemical or spectroscopic properties. Also known as forensic markers
Tamper-evident: devices such as seals and closures that demonstrate that the product or packaging has been opened or otherwise accessed.
Tamper resistant: a product, package or system that provides a barrier to tampering by either normal users of others with physical access
Thermal printing: a process which produces a printed image by selectively heating coated thermochromic paper, or thermal paper as it is commonly known. The coating turns black in the areas where it is heated, producing an image. Thermal transfer printing is a related method that uses a heat-sensitive ribbon instead of heat-sensitive paper
Thermochromic: the change in colour of dyes or inks when their temperature is changed by the application of heat.
Track and trace: the process of monitoring and recording the past and present whereabouts of a shipment, as it passes through different handlers on its way to its destination, through a distribution network. Tracing refers to where the product has been, while tracking refers to where it is going next
Up-converter: a material that absorbs energy at a longer wavelength outside the visible and emits in the visible spectrum. The materials that can achieve this effect are rare and therefore used for security marking.
Watermark: an image in paper produced by varying the thickness and density of the paper mass during paper production. These variations form a discernible image that can be viewed when holding the paper item up to the light.
Copyright © 2010 IAA - International Authentication Association