Security Elements – Savety just by a window feature?

Fogra White Paper provide current knowledge and research findings for the testing and design of security documents. It is published by Fogra to serve as an independent source for the corresponding industry.

Recently, the presence of a clear window is often requested in tenders for security documents. It is assumed that a clear window contributes to a high level of uniqueness and counterfeit protection. The recently published White Paper No.2 examines whether this assumption is correct.

It can be concluded that a clear window cannot be considered as a main security feature of banknotes and ID documents. It must be supplemented by further multilayer security features. This finding comes from 2 perspectives:

• measurement technologies to characterize the qualities of clear window transparency and/or overprinted film opacities;

• system availabilities to generate overprints on clear windows or clear films and their potential print qualities for counterfeits. Both original products (e.g. banknotes and identity documents) with clear windows and various test prints on clear films were used for the experimental investigations within the framework of the preparation of this White Paper.

Download White Paper as PDF