Editor's Summary

28 July 2005

Everything has a fingerprint

Virtually all paper documents, plastic cards and pieces of packaging contain a unique physical identity code. Microscopic imperfections on the surface of these materials act as a covert 'fingerprint' that is almost impossible to modify controllably. It is easily read using a low-cost portable laser scanner. Most forms of document and branded-product fraud could be rendered obsolete by use of this code.

Brief Communications: Forgery:  'Fingerprinting' documents and packaging

Unique surface imperfections serve as an easily identifiable feature in the fight against fraud.

James D. R. Buchanan, Russell P. Cowburn, Ana-Vanessa Jausovec, Dorothée Petit, Peter Seem, Gang Xiong, Del Atkinson, Kate Fenton, Dan A. Allwood and Matthew T. Bryan

doi: 10.1038/436475a

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