There are numerous security printing solutions that can help prevent forgery, tampering, or counterfeiting on all kinds of paper documents. Here is the first of three groups of terms.
Active Security Feature
Any characteristic used to identify a document by sight or touch.
Anti-copying Mark
A hidden – or barely visible – mark in a pattern that becomes very visible after the document has been copied.
Artificial Watermark
An artificial watermark is a subdued representation of a logo or word printed on paper. Artificial watermarks can be viewed while holding the document at a 45-degree angle. Copiers and scanners capture images at 90 degree angles and cannot read these marks.
Biometric Identification Data
Specific identification information such as fingerprints, facial geometry, and/or geometry of the iris of the eye contained in a chip in the product (such as in passports).
Bleed–through Ink
Prints in black or red and will penetrate the paper to create an image of the number on the back of the sheet. This image cannot be lifted or altered.
Chemical Stain Protection
A way to treat paper that makes it extremely sensitive to acids, alkalis, or oxidants that may be used to alter the paper or an image on the paper.
Chemical Toner Anchorage
A way to bond the laser toner to the paper fiber surface to prevent its removal.
Chemically Reactive Paper
Paper that produces a stain or speckles when activated with ink eradicator-class chemicals, making it extremely difficult to chemically alter a document without detection.
Color Shifting Ink
Ink that shifts from one color to another based on the angle that you are holding the paper.
Digital Watermark
A machine-readable pattern in a digital or printed image. Often used to identify the copyright holder of a photograph.
DNA Ink
Ink that includes a unique biological marker.
Duplex Registration
Precise alignment of the copy on both sides of a printed sheet.
Erasable Ink
Ink that will rub off when an attempt is made to erase information in the area that has been printed.
Fugitive Ink
Ink that runs and stains the document when a liquid is used to alter the document.
Erasol Ink
Ink in a pattern that causes any attempted erasure to mar the design and become apparent.
Fiber Security
Visible or invisible threads embedded in paper.
Fluorescent Paper Fiber
Visible or invisible paper fibers that glow under UV light.
Fluorescent Coating
A visible or invisible coating such as varnish that glows under UV light.
Fourdrinier Watermark
A translucent image created in paper on the paper making machine. The image can be viewed from both sides of the paper when it is held up to the light.
Stay tuned next week for part two of our printing security features glossary.