Unveiling Fakes: A Blockchain-Backed Approach for Product Authentication

Abstract

Abstract: In recent years, the proliferation of counterfeit products has become a pervasive issue, posing significant challenges to consumers, businesses, and governments worldwide. Traditional methods of detecting fake products often fall short due to their reliance on centralized databases, which can be tampered with or manipulated. However, blockchain technology, with its decentralized and transparent nature, offers a promising solution for detecting fake products. This paper presents a novel approach for fake product detection using blockchain technology, leveraging its inherent properties of immutability, transparency, and distributed consensus. The proposed system utilizes a blockchain-based registry that securely records product information, such as serial numbers, manufacturing details, and supply chain data, at each stage of the product's lifecycle. Through smart contracts and cryptographic techniques, the system ensures that product information is authentic and cannot be tampered with. Moreover, the system allows consumers, businesses, and other stakeholders to easily verify the authenticity of a product by accessing the blockchain registry, thereby empowering them to make informed purchasing decisions. The paper also discusses the potential benefits and challenges of implementing blockchain-based fake product detection, including increased consumer trust, improved supply chain visibility, and enhanced brand protection, as well as considerations such as privacy, scalability, and interoperability. Overall, this paper contributes to the emerging field of blockchain applications in supply chain management and counterfeit detection, providing insights and recommendations for future research and development in this area.