Glossary

The property of a banknote or secure document feature that can be felt, often made by means of intaglio printing.

Molecular or microscopic particle that can be organic or inorganic in composition and exhibit specific and unique physical, biological, chemical or spectroscopic properties. Added in very low concentration to substrates or ink as a covert authentication feature.

A device such as a seal or closure that demonstrates that a product or packaging has been (fraudulently) opened or otherwise accessed prior to its proper use.

A label or tag applied to an item that denotes that tax or excise duty has been paid on the item.

An ink that undergoes a reversible colour shift when heated and then cooled. The temperature change can be quite narrow so the viewer’s external body temperature, by applying, say, a thumb to the printed surface, is sufficient to trigger the transition.

A method of coating a very thin film of material – between a few nanometers to about 100 micrometres’ thickness – onto a substrate surface, or onto a previously deposited coating to form layers.

The amount by which a measurement or calculation might change and still be acceptable.

The process of identifying the origin of an item or where it has been.

The process of monitoring and recording the past and present whereabouts of an item, as it passes through different operators on its way to its destination.

The process of following an item through the supply chain so its whereabouts are known at all times.

The passing of light through an object (as opposed to light reflecting off or absorbed by an object). Watermarks in security paper are usually viewed in transmitted light by holding the paper up to the light source.

A person or legal entity providing and preserving digital certificates to create and validate electronic signatures and authenticate their signatories.The TSP has the responsibility to assure the integrity of electronic identification for signatories and services through strong mechanisms for authentication, electronic signatures and digital certificates.

While RFID is a generic term encompassing different operating radio frequencies and standards, UHF is a frequency band covering 300MHz to 3GHz. UHF systems are known for generating long read ranges, up to 12m, whereas high frequency (HF) systems carry a much shorter read range, of approximately 1m. UHF allows for a faster data transfer rate, up to 20 times the range and speed of HF systems.

A photochemical process in which high-intensity ultraviolet light is used to instantly cure or ‘dry’ inks, coatings or adhesives.

A first-level requirement of security paper, which needs to be made from virgin pulp without optical brighteners (ie. which is UV-dull). This is because optical brighteners mask or interfere with UV fluorescent security print and fibres.

Electromagnetic waves located beyond the blue end of the visible light spectrum, commonly defined within the wavelength range of 100nm-400nm. UV light is often used to analyse secure documents and banknotes, and security features such as paper brightness, fluorescent inks and fluorescent fibres. UV lamps used in shops and banks to verify banknotes operate at a wavelength of 365nm.

Colloquially termed ‘web address’. A reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it.

In the context of product traceability, a unique identifier is a serial number, assigned by a central authority for application to unit packages of products for the purpose of track and trace. No two serial numbers are the same, thereby allowing for the identification of individual retail-saleable items throughout the supply chain.

The smallest individual packaging of a tobacco product (one pack of cigarettes usually holds 20 individual sticks).

The first, and most common 1D (linear) barcode for retail product labelling, encoding global trade item numbers (GTINs) in line with GS1 international standards. UPCs are composed of 12 digits encoded in a series of vertical lines. The first six digits correspond to the manufacturer’s identification number, the next five represent a specific product type and packaging configuration, and the last one is a check digit.

A material that absorbs energy at a longer wavelength outside the visible spectrum and emits in the visible spectrum. The materials that can achieve this effect are rare and therefore used for security marking.

A process for creating a layer of metal on a substrate. Involves heating the metal target material until it vapourises inside a vacuum chamber. This allows the metal vapour to condensate and form a thin layer over the top of the substrate. Vacuum deposition is a common method of producing security threads.

The use of digital print processes to apply personalised and serialised information, such as unique identifiers and barcodes, to products and documents.

Unlike raster images, a vector is not composed of separate dots (pixels). Vector graphics are composed of control points with curves in between them, defined by a mathematical formula. Vector graphics are often used for printing brochures etc., which do not require accurate transmission of all the shades of a particular colour and which can be described by curves. A great advantage of vector graphics is that the scaling of images does not affect their quality. One of the most popular vector graphics editors is Adobe Illustrator.

The process of verifying specific identity, document or product attributes, or determining the authenticity of credentials in order to give authorisation for a particular service.

The reformation of cellulose to give a textile fibre that may carry security features and be embedded into security paper.

The fraudulent practice of making phone calls or leaving voice messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as bank details and credit card numbers.

A cryptographically signed data structure containing document features, encoded as a 2D barcode and printed on a document. The use of a VDS is recommended by ISO 22381:2018 as an open source, trusted entry point to allow all stakeholders to authenticate a unique identifier without having to go online, as well as access information on the security features used on a security document.

Wavelengths within the visible spectrum of 380nm-740nm.

Tamper-evident labels that reveal a covert ‘void’ message when removal of the labels is attempted. Also refers to anticopy labels that, upon scanning, reveal the word ‘void’ in the copy.

A method of making copy-evident and tamper-resistant patterns in the background of a document. Normally these are invisible to the naked eye, but become obvious when the document is photocopied. Typically, they spell out ‘void’, ‘copy’, or ‘invalid’. See also Big dot little dot.

Refers to holograms where the thickness of the recording material is much larger than the wavelength of light used for recording. One of the most common types of hologram (together with surface relief holograms), volume holograms are mass-produced through optical copying of a master hologram onto photopolymer materials, so they retain more of the optical properties of the master than the mechanical, surface relief process. This allows them to be used for classical holograms which are fully 3D images, displaying depth and both vertical and horizontal parallax. Volume holograms are either monochromatic or two-colour, with a distinctly different appearance to rainbow holograms, which are based on diffraction.

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 up to the light. Used as a security feature on most banknotes.

A type of marker directly embedded within video, audio or print content, which is imperceptible to humans but readable by computers.Typically used to identify ownership of copyright and authenticate a genuine article.

A part of the production process of many security papers that uses pressure through a wire mesh to form designs or patterns by varying the thickness of the paper.

A property of electromagnetic radiation that denotes the distance between waves of light.

A mathematical means for performing a signal analysis when signal frequency varies over time.

A continous roll of flexible material, usually paper, foil, film or laminate in a roll form.

Involves the feeding of a continuous roll (or web) of paper through the printing press. Web-fed offset lithography (as opposed to sheet-fed offset) is the predominant print process for tax stamps and other security labels.

The application of a coating of wet glue to a dry substrate before it is attached to an item. This is the main way of applying tax stamps to products.

An indirect lithographic printing process where a flat printing plate prints onto a rubber blanket that transfers the image onto the paper. The printing plate must be moistened with water before it is inked, with the water adhering to the non-image area.

World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) global treaty, and its Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products. The Protocol requires all parties to implement secure track and trace systems by 2023.