Securing Authenticity: A Multicloud OTP-Based System for Combatting Counterfeit Products in the Supply Chain

Abstract

The existing supply chain faces a significant challenge with the prevalence of fake products, leading to adverse effects on company reputation, sales, and profits. To address this issue, a novel system is proposed to empower end-users with the ability to verify the authenticity of products they intend to purchase. In contrast to conventional QR code-based authentication, the proposed system employs multi-cloud server architecture to generate and manage one-time passwords (OTPs) for product authentication. Upon product registration at the manufacturing end, an OTP is generated and stored in a cloud server. The verification process involves cross-checking the OTP at the retailer's end and subsequently at the customer's end. This multi-tiered approach ensures a robust verification mechanism, enhancing the reliability of confirming product authenticity. By adopting this innovative system, companies can mitigate the adverse impact of counterfeit products on their brand image and financial performance, thereby instilling confidence in end-users regarding the genuineness of the purchased products.