OVERT ANTI-COUNTERFEITING
TECHNOLOGIES TO
FIGHT PRODUCT
COUNTERFEITING

compare them here.

OVERT aNTI-COUNTERFEITING sOLUTIONS

Overt anti-counterfeiting technologies, also known as visible security features, are human-visible security elements used to protect and authenticate products and documents. Verification of an overt security feature usually requires careful inspection of the security feature, in combination with some physical manipulation. As an example, to verify a hologram, the user needs to hold it in front of their eyes at the appropriate angle, tilting it in order to reveal the different effects.

Reliably authenticating an overt security feature is considered challenging, often requiring certain expertise to properly check the different security elements. The use of visible security features must follow a careful selection process. This is partly because it is difficult to remove any pre-existing overt authentication solutions without some confusion amongst existing customers.

Many become accustomed to seeing certain security features and feel unnerved when they are removed. However, overt security features generally have a bad reputation, as they can easily be copied. Even if the copy is not good, it may be sufficient for the untrained user to accept it as an original. From our experience, we recommend implementing invisible authentication solutions, which are more secure and harder to copy. Learn about covert anti-counterfeiting solutions.

Choosing an appropriate anti-counterfeiting solution for a product is not an easy task. As there is no one-size-fits-all solution, AlpVision has prepared the following guide to the best-known authentication technologies. Please note that almost all the solutions presented in the table below are not from AlpVision, except Smart Embossing, which can be considered as semi-covert and not as a fully overt solution.

The following solutions are used for different types of industries such as tobacco, pharmaceuticals, lubricants, wine and spirits, and precious metals.

Download the comparison table
ANTI-COUNTERFEITING
TECHNOLOGY		 Overt/
Covert		 Application Security
(duplication)		 Security
(forging)		 ROLLOUT
COST		 COST
PER ITEM		 READER
COST		 Deployment
complexity		 Target
Audience
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 1

Fluorescence taggants
Fluorescence is a light emitting effect where the outgoing light has a lower frequency than the incoming light. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Printed
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 2

Guilloche
Guilloche are graphical, line-based security elements often found on banknotes. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Printed
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 3

Hologram
Decorative holograms are visible security features that try to reproduce three-dimensional structures on a two-dimensional surface. Very often holograms play with changing images and colour shifts. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Stick/Glue
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 4

Holographic foil
Holographic foil is a diffraction pattern which displays movement or colour shifting when viewed from different angles. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Stick/Glue
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 5

Microtext/ Microprinting
Microtext or microprinting is a printed security feature which reproduces human readable/understandable graphical elements in a scale so small that it cannot be seen without a magnification device. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Printed
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 6

OVD – optical variable device
Optical Variable Devices are visible security features that change depending on the viewing angle. Examples of changes are color shifts (Optical Variable Inks – OVI) and image swaps. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Printed Stick/Glue
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 7

OVI – Optical Variable Ink
Optical Variable Inks are special inks changing their aspect depending on the viewers position and lightning conditions. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Printed
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 8

QR Code
QR codes are types of matrix bar codes, encoding information into a square area and made for easy reading by machines. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Printed
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 9

Scratch Off Codes
A unique ID is printed on each box and covered with a coating that can be peeled off. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Printed Stick/Glue
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 10

Security Thread
Security threads are thin ribbons which are directly embedded or threaded through the substrate to protect, such as banknote paper. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Stick/Glue
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 11

Smart Embossing
AlpVision Smart Embossing is a visible security element that features three dimensional elements for authentication by a smartphone. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Stick/Glue
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 12

Thermochromic ink
Thermochromic is a kind of special ink that changes colour when exposed to different temperatures. The colour remains the same at lower temperature. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Printed
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 13

Track And Trace
A track and trace system keeps track of past and current locations of products, through the use of unique product identifiers (UIDs). More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Digital
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Overt Anti-counterfeiting solution 14

Watermark
Watermarks a security features which are directly integrated into the substrate, typically paper. By holding the document against a light source, the watermarks become visible. More
Overt Covert Semi-Covert
Substrate Integration
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
High Medium Low
N/A
High Medium Low
Company Internal Law Enforcement Consumers
Download the comparison table

Counterfeit Products Market

BRAND PROTECTION
PHARMACEUTICALS
BRAND PROTECTION
TOBACCO
Document Security
GOVERNMENT
BRAND PROTECTION
PRECIOUS METALS
BRAND PROTECTION
WINE & SPIRITS
BRAND PROTECTION
AUTO LUBRICANTS
BRAND PROTECTION
OTHER INDUSTRIES

Our digital invisible technologies for product authentication and counterfeit protection can be applied to a broad range of branded products across a multitude of industries, including household appliances, electromechanical parts (e.g., circuit breakers), agrochemicals (e.g., pesticides), cosmetics, oil & gas (e.g., lubricants), consumer goods, food & beverage and more.

 

Would you like to see how this technology can be applied to your product?

Contact us!

    WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

    Brand Protection

    “I’m so impressed at how easy this solution was to deploy. We have a huge inventory of Pharmaceutical products – and protection of our market is vital. The team at AlpVision understood our unique challenge from day one – and delivered exactly what we need. Amazing!”

    – CEO
    Internationally operating pharmaceutical company

    In close collaboration with AlpVision we developed an AI/ML model to support chemical process development.  The idea was to show our management the power of machine learning in bringing our company into the digital era, AlpVision provided as with tailor made solution. AlpVision demonstrated their expertise in the field and it was a real pleasure to collaborate with them.

    – Project Manager
    International Pharmaceutical Company

    Excellent company to work with. Developed and implemented exactly as per customer requirements. A company that goes the extra distance to ensure they deliver a quality product and on going support.

    – Head of product security
    European registered pharmaceutical company

    AlpVision consistently demonstrates a deep expertise in anti-counterfeiting technologies, but also their detailed understanding of implementation and various use scenarios. They are a true partner we have relied on to support our Anti-counterfeiting strategy and deployment over many years and also the years to come.

    – Anti-counterfeiting manager
    Multi Billion pharmaceutical company

    AlpVision gave us the lead we needed when we were implementing our global anti-counterfeiting strategy. The collaboration with them was always very effective and solution-oriented. It is a pleasure to work with them.

    – Manager Anti-counterfeiting Program
    International Pharma Company

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