Open Access

ARTICLE

A Holistic Anti-Counterfeiting Platform Using NFC and Blockchain Technologies

Rajendren Subramaniam¹, Saaidal Razalli Azzuhri^2,*, Teh Ying Wah¹, Atif Mahmood³, Vimala Balakrishnan¹

1 Department of Information System, Faculty of Computer Science & Information Technology, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
2 Department of Computer System & Technology, Faculty of Computer Science & Information Technology, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
3 Faculty of Data Science and Information Technology, INTI International University, Nilai, 71800, Malaysia

* Corresponding Author: Saaidal Razalli Azzuhri. Email:

Computers, Materials & Continua 2025, 83(3), 4257-4280. https://doi.org/10.32604/cmc.2025.061560

Received 27 November 2024; Accepted 18 March 2025; Issue published 19 May 2025

Abstract

Counterfeiting is still a pervasive global issue, affecting multiple industries and hindering industrial innovation, while causing substantial financial losses, reputational damage, and risks to consumer safety. From luxury goods and pharmaceuticals to electronics and automotive parts, counterfeit products infiltrate supply chains, leading to a loss of revenue for legitimate businesses and undermining consumer trust. Traditional anti-counterfeiting measures, such as holograms, serial numbers, and barcodes, have proven to be insufficient as counterfeiters continuously develop more sophisticated replication techniques. As a result, there is a growing need for more advanced, secure, and reliable methods to prevent counterfeiting. This paper presents a novel, holistic anti-counterfeiting platform that integrates Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled mobile applications with blockchain technology to provide an innovative, secure, and consumer-friendly authentication mechanism. Our approach addresses key gaps in existing solutions by incorporating dynamic product identifiers, which make replication significantly more difficult. The system enables consumers to verify the authenticity of products instantly using their smartphones, enhancing transparency and trust in the supply chain. Blockchain technology plays a crucial role in our proposed solution by providing an immutable, decentralized ledger that records product authentication data. This ensures that product verification records cannot be tampered with or altered, adding a layer of security that is absent in conventional systems. Additionally, NFC technology enhances security by offering unique identification capabilities, enabling real-time product verification. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed system, real-world testing was conducted across different industries. The results demonstrated the platform’s ability to significantly reduce counterfeit products in the supply chain, offering businesses and consumers a more robust and reliable authentication method. By leveraging the combined strengths of blockchain and NFC, this solution represents a significant advancement in the fight against counterfeiting, ensuring enhanced security, transparency, and consumer trust.

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Keywords

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