# Analysis of Document Security Features

Pulkit Garg, Saheb Chhabra, Garima Gupta, Vishal Srivastava, Gaurav Gupta

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Pulkit Garg, Saheb Chhabra, Garima Gupta, Vishal Srivastava, Gaurav Gupta. Analysis of Document Security Features. 19th IFIP International Conference on Digital Forensics (DigitalForensics), Jan 2023, Arlington, VA, United States. pp.143-159, 10.1007/978-3-031-42991-0_8. hal-05517475

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# Analysis of Document Security Features

Pulkit Garg¹, Saheb Chhabra², Garima Gupta³, Vishal Srivastava⁴, and
Gaurav Gupta⁵

¹ Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Karwar, India

² Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, New Delhi, India

³ Independent Researcher, New Delhi, India

⁴ Raj Kumar Goel Institute of Technology, Ghaziabad, India

⁵ Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, New Delhi, India

gauravg@gov.in

**Abstract.** Document fraud has been rising for several years, severely impacting individuals, organizations and governments. Security features in documents change significantly when documents are altered or reproduced, clearly identifying them as fraudulent. However, advancements in technology and the availability of special hardware and software enable criminals to create fraudulent documents despite the presence of security features.

It is important to classify document security features to gain insights into their unique characteristics, effectiveness and use cases. The classification supports the analysis of the robustness of document security and steers the development of new and improved security features to combat document fraud. This chapter classifies document security features based on three criteria, security feature types, inspection levels and security levels.

**Keywords:** Fraudulent Documents · Security Features · Classification

## 1 Introduction

Document fraud [9, 11, 18] is constantly increasing due to technological advances and the availability of high-resolution printers and scanners. Untrained eyes can no longer spot high-quality fake documents. Even forensic experts may fail to identify the fakes, posing significant threats to the economy and society. Figure 1 shows a collage of news items about instances of document fraud.

The most efficient strategy for combating document fraud is to incorporate multiple security features in documents. The security features are typically generated using unique raw materials and hard-to-mimic manufacturing processes. When documents with security features are altered or reproduced, the features exhibit significant modifications, enabling fake documents to be distinguished from real documents. Several researchers [2, 4] have discussed the changes observed in security features when documents are altered or reproduced. Other
<figure><img src="image_4.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 1. News items about document fraud.</figcaption></figure>

researchers [13, 15, 19] discuss various approaches for detecting fake documents based on the changes.

Government organizations around the world print banknotes, passports, bank checks and other high-value documents with security features such as optical fibers, security inks and see-through prints [14, 17]. In India, the Reserve Bank of India and the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India produce most of India's high-value documents. The raw ingredients and printing processes used to produce the high-value documents are designated as national secrets. In contrast, low-value documents such as product labels, academic transcripts and certificates are printed by individuals or companies utilizing common security features like watermarks and microprinted images. Figure 2 shows a selection of documents commonly targeted for tampering or counterfeiting.

Fraudsters go to great lengths and employ state-of-the-art technologies to tamper with or counterfeit authentic documents, even those with multiple security features. This makes it imperative to upgrade existing security features and develop new features. Specifically, it is necessary to classify document security features to gain insights into their unique characteristics, effectiveness and use cases. The classification facilitates analyses of the robustness of document security and steers the development of new and improved security features to combat document fraud. This chapter classifies document security features based on three criteria, security feature types, inspection levels and security levels. In
<figure><img src="image_5.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 2. Documents commonly targeted for tampering or counterfeiting.</figcaption></figure>

addition, it links diverse Indian documents to the security features in order to assess their susceptibility to document fraud.

## 2 Classification of Document Fraud

Fraudsters use a variety of techniques to generate fake documents. Counterfeiting a product label requires a good color copy of an authentic label on similar paper whereas a fake identity card may require an existing identity card to be modified. Figure 3 classifies document fraud as nature-based, methodology-based and quality-based document fraud.

### 2.1 Nature-Based Document Fraud

Nature-based document fraud includes static document fraud and dynamic document fraud:

- **Static Document Fraud:** Static documents have the same information inscribed on them from when they are created until they become obsolete. These documents contain a combination of unique and fixed information. Examples include academic transcripts, banknotes, printed invoices, birth certificates, marriage certificates and drivers' licenses. Fraudsters often scan original static documents and may use image editing software to make custom modifications. Following this, they print high-quality fraudulent copies and use them for nefarious purposes.
<figure><img src="image_6.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 3. Classification of document fraud.</figcaption></figure>

- **Dynamic Document Fraud:** Dynamic documents are similar to static documents, except that the issuing and/or receiving parties write or stamp additional information before the documents are useable. Examples include bank checks, optical mark recognition sheets, examination forms, passports and visas. Fraudsters typically alter dynamic document content generated by the issuing/receiving parties for their purposes. For example, a base document (i.e., dynamic document before the issuing/receiving party writes on or stamps it) is created in the same way as a fake static document. Following this, the additional content is imprinted to create the fake document. Alternatively, a fraudster may start with a genuine base document and imprint the additional content. Yet another approach is to physically alter an official dynamic document by erasing, chemical washing and/or overwriting the issuing/receiving party's content.

Tampering detection strategies are employed to detect dynamic document fraud. Because few if any security features are modified, it is more difficult to identify dynamic document fraud than static document fraud.

## 2.2 Methodology-Based Document Fraud

Methodology-based document fraud includes altered document fraud and imitated document fraud:

- **Altered Document Fraud:** Altered document fraud is the tampering of digitally-printed documents. Software such as Photoshop and high-resolution printers and scanners make it simple even for amateurs to modify digital content and create altered documents. Common targets of altered document fraud include transcripts, certificates, passports, admit cards, identity credentials and legal documents.

- **Imitated Document Fraud:** Imitated documents are replicas of original documents such as banknotes and bank checks that appear to be authentic. The most common method for committing imitated document fraud is to
scan an original document and print it. The availability of inexpensive, high-resolution scanners and printers has significantly increased the opportunities to perpetrate imitated document fraud.

## 2.3 Quality-Based Document Fraud

Quality-based document fraud includes low-quality document fraud and high-quality document fraud:

- **Low-Quality Document Fraud:** Multiple security features are incorporated in documents to prevent tampering and forgery. It can be difficult for fraudsters to preserve or reproduce all the security features due to lack of expertise, materials and equipment, and cost.

A fraudulent document is deemed to be of low quality if none or a few security features are preserved or reproduced. These documents may deceive casual users, but they are easily identified by trained professionals. However, casual users can identify low-quality documents with adequate awareness and knowledge.

- **High-Quality Document Fraud:** High-quality fraudulent documents preserve or replicate most or all the security features of the original documents, sometimes even misleading professional examiners who have sophisticated tools at their disposal. Creating high-quality fraudulent documents requires considerable knowledge, expertise and resources. Primary targets of high-quality document fraud are national identification cards, authorization passes and banknotes.

# 3 Security Feature Classification

Documents incorporate security features with diverse manufacturing techniques, robustness, security levels, verification techniques, cost, etc. Certain security features are chosen although they are susceptible to copying because the features are easily verified without special tools, have low production costs and/or are effective against low-quality document fraud. On the other hand, complex security features utilize special materials and expensive manufacturing techniques, which make them difficult to alter or reproduce.

Developing and improving document security features require considerable knowledge and skills. Additionally, it is essential to comprehend the various security features, their distinctive properties and their application circumstances, which are discussed in this section.

## 3.1 Security Feature Types

Security features are of diverse types and exhibit distinctive characteristics when exposed to varying lighting conditions or when reproduced. The distinctive characteristics arise from their basic components and production processes. For example, using chemicals visible only under infrared light in the production process
provides a security feature with the same characteristics. Table 1 lists the differ-
ent types of security features along with prominent examples of each type.

**Text** Endless text constitutes random lines of text that are pre-printed on documents. Attempts at altering information printed over endless text using chemicals also affects the endless text in the background. Pre-printed text is common generic text printed on documents of a certain type. However, the issuing or receiving party writes or prints additional information on a specific document before it is declared usable. Pre-printing also provides an option to hide other security features such as microprints on documents to enhance security.

**Machine-Readable Materials** It is impractical to manually check every doc-
ument for tampering or forgery. As a result, machine-readable security features
are incorporated on documents that enable automated verification. Magnetic
ink character recognition employs magnetizable toner (with iron oxide) during
printing, enabling text to be scanned precisely even when it is occluded or over-
printed. If document text is printed in standard color ink, the automated reader
will not identify it and deem the document to be fraudulent. Barcodes (including
QR codes), which encode data in black and white shapes, are a popular security
feature. The encoded data is unreadable without special equipment. However,
barcode generators are widely available, making it easy to create fake barcodes.
As a result, data is encrypted before storing it in barcodes, which prevents the
text from being edited after the barcodes are created. However, fraudsters can
copy and reuse barcodes.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags address this limitation. An RFID tag has a chip that stores information and an antenna that transmits information. RFID tags provide dependable security due to their complexity and high production costs [8]. Nonetheless, barcodes are still favored over RFID tags due to their low cost.

**Printing Techniques** Printing techniques yield distinctive textures and prints that are difficult to reproduce without the necessary expertise and equipment [3, 10]. For example, inkjet printing propels tiny ink droplets directly on a document substrate causing the ink to penetrate the substrate, creating smooth, high-resolution prints at low cost within a short duration. In contrast, intaglio printing fills the cut region of an intaglio plate with ink after which paper is pressed on the plate at very high pressure, creating a thick raised print on the paper. In offset printing, text and images are transferred from a plate cylinder (with an even surface) to an offset cylinder (with a rubber blanket), following which a print is made on a document substrate. Offset printing uses ink-repellent silicon to protect non-image areas from ink. As a result, offset printing generates high-quality prints, and because of the rubber blanket, it can adapt to different printing surfaces.

Due to the low cost of inkjet and laser printing, most document content is
printed using these methods. However, equipment availability and low produc-
<table><caption>**Table 1.** Security features classified by type.</caption><thead><tr><td>Feature Type</td><td>Examples</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Text</td><td>Endless text, pre-printed text</td></tr><tr><td>Machine-Readable Materials</td><td>Magnetic ink characters, barcode, magnetic stripe, RFID tag, EMV chip</td></tr><tr><td>Printing Techniques</td><td>Background printing, laser printing/copying, miniprinting, gravure printing, inkjet printing, microprinting, intaglio printing, letterpress printing, needle printing, offset printing, rainbow coloring, screen printing, thermal printing, schablon (stencil) multiple coloring</td></tr><tr><td>Threads</td><td>Security thread, stitching thread</td></tr><tr><td>Security Inks</td><td>Ultraviolet ink, bleeding ink, fugitive ink, metallic ink, iridescent ink, optically-variable ink, infrared ink, photochromic ink, thermochromic ink</td></tr><tr><td>Perforations</td><td>Laser perforation, needle perforation, tank tracking perforation, laser perforation with tilting effects, secondary (ghost) laser image perforation, laser fine structure perforation</td></tr><tr><td>Multiview Patterns</td><td>Hologram, optical stripe, optically-variable ink, latent image, variable laser image, kinegram, identigram, secondary (ghost) image</td></tr><tr><td>Stamps</td><td>Blind embossed stamp, registered embossed stamp, ink stamp</td></tr><tr><td>Security Fibers</td><td>Synthetic fiber, security fiber, planchette</td></tr><tr><td>Laminates</td><td>Hot foil stamp, ultraviolet feature laminate, overprinted laminate, embossed laminate, iridescent laminate, optically-variable ink, retroreflective laminate, integrated bound laminate</td></tr><tr><td>Light-Transmitting Materials</td><td>Singletone watermark, duotone watermark, multitone watermark, transparent window, see-through register</td></tr><tr><td>Identification Data</td><td>Serial number, national identification number</td></tr><tr><td>Anti-Copy/Anti-Scan Patterns</td><td>Microprint, pantograph, fine line, guilloche</td></tr><tr><td>Fluorescent Materials</td><td>Fluorescent fiber, fluorescent highlight, fluorescent ink, fluorescent overprint, fluorescent planchette, fluorescent security thread, fluorescent serial number, fluorescent stitching thread</td></tr></tbody></table>
tion costs enable fraudsters to reproduce such documents easily. Intaglio and offset printing are used as alternatives because they require advanced machinery, which renders reproduction expensive. Meanwhile, researchers are constantly searching for ways to improve the security of traditional printing processes [5, 7].

**Threads** Security threads are thin ribbon strips of metal foil or plastic that are woven in a document substrate. They may have fluorescent or ultraviolet properties or may contain microprinted text. The threads are woven such that some portions of the threads appear on the front side of a document and the remaining portions on the rear side. However, when the document is held up against the light, all the threads appear as single lines. Stitching threads are used to tie different pages together. The threads are created using various substrates to provide excellent sewability as well as different colors under different (visible/infrared/fluorescent) lighting conditions.

**Security Inks** Security inks are often used to enhance security. Various chemicals in the inks incorporated in document substrates exhibit distinct properties when the documents are altered or reproduced. For example, fugitive ink is specially formulated to smudge when exposed to water and other solvents used by fraudsters to modify documents. Penetrating ink contains a red pigment that penetrates paper fibers during production, so that the red coloring remains even after the printed section is removed. Ultraviolet and infrared inks are invisible under visible light and can only be viewed under ultraviolet and infrared light, respectively. Other security inks such as optically-variable, photochromic and thermochromic inks, change color based on the viewing angle, illumination and temperature, respectively. These inks enable document alterations to be detected without using special equipment.

**Perforations** Perforations are tiny holes or dashes created on the top layers of documents using lasers, needles or blades. Perforated lines are ideal for document security because they are not captured by copy machines and scanners. Security documents may also incorporate laser-perforated serial numbers and secondary pictures that are visible when held up to the light. To increase security, laser perforation with tilting effects is used to perforate images at different angles. The resulting images can be viewed only from certain angles in transmitted light.

**Multiview Patterns** Advancements in optical technology have contributed to new security features that change based on viewing angle and lighting. Many documents are printed with optically-variable inks containing pigments that change color depending on the viewing angle. Holograms and kinegrams are optical security features that rely on light diffraction and refraction, producing varying three-dimensional effects with changes in angle and illumination. This feature makes them very difficult to replicate in fraudulent documents.
**Stamps** Ink stamps are impressions created by infusing liquid ink into documents. The stamps, which generally contain the details of the authorized sig-natories, have complex structures that hinder document reproduction. Direct photocopying produces a deteriorated ink stamp, but it is still a weak security feature. Blind embossed stamps are stamp patterns whose raised and recessed dye surfaces can be felt by touching the documents. It is difficult to replicate the precise alignments and depths of blind embossed stamps.

**Security Fibers** Synthetic fibers are introduced into document substrates to enhance document durability. However, they also provide security because they have unique compositions that are difficult to mimic. Security fibers are colored or transparent fibers added to a document substrate at random locations and varying depths. They may be customized to be visible or invisible under white light or have magnetic or fluorescent properties. The combination of these fea-tures makes the documents difficult to reproduce. Planchettes are tiny 1 mm to 4 mm dots that are randomly distributed in a document substrate during manufacturing. They may have fluorescent, non-fluorescent, chemically-reactive, thermochromic and/or other properties that are lost during reproduction. Due to their minute size and reflectivity, planchettes are not captured by copy machines.

**Laminates** Laminates have been used to safeguard documents for years. Security laminates incorporate optically-variable or tactile elements to provide document security. Laminates have numerous variations that enhance security. An overprinted laminate has text on the reverse side of the lamination film. An embossed laminate has fine-line patterns that are embossed to be visible in oblique or transmitted light.

**Light-Transmitting Materials** Documents have long employed security measures that are only visible in transmitted light to enable verification by users with basic expertise and without special devices. Watermarks are embedded figures or patterns created by altering the document substrate density during production – the thicker the substrate at a particular location, the darker it appears under transmitted light. A see-through register is another common security feature involving light-transmitting materials. One half of a pattern is printed on the front of a document and the other half on the back, so the entire pattern is only visible in reflected and transmitted light. If the front and back portions are not aligned perfectly, distortions indicative of counterfeiting are easily seen. Such high precision printing on both sides of a document is not possible with commercial printers.

**Identification Data** A serial number is unique identification data assigned to and printed on a document. Each document must have a unique serial number that is clearly visible. A national identification number is a unique identifier of a registered individual that is generally printed on an identity document.
The identifier may incorporate personal information such as name and date of birth. A national identification number along with information pertaining to the registered individual is stored in a central database, enabling authorities to quickly verify details about an individual by entering the national identification number.

**Anti-Copy/Anti-Scan Patterns** A microprint comprises text and/ or symbols printed in a very small font on a document; the microprinted information is not discernible without magnification. Common scanners and copy machines have low resolutions and are unable to recognize microprinted information and reproduce unrecognizable symbols. Pantographs are copy-evident patterns that exploit the limitations of reproduction techniques. Invisible text hidden in a pantograph becomes visible due to aliasing and blurring that occur when a document is reproduced. Guilloches are complex patterns printed using high-resolution printers. They comprise many interwoven shapes created using lines, but appear as solid color patches to the naked eye; however, it is possible to discern the patterns using magnification. Like microprinted text or symbols, scanners and copy machines cannot detect the fine-line patterns and produce distortions that are readily visible.

**Fluorescent Materials** Fluorescent materials used in security printing change color when exposed to ultraviolet light. Security fibers, inks, overprints, planchettes, threads, serial numbers and stitching threads often incorporate fluorescent materials. The visual effects, which are very difficult to reproduce, provide an additional safeguard against document forgery.

## 3.2 Security Feature Inspection Levels

According to van Renesse [20], some security features such as intaglio printing, optically-variable inks and holograms are intended to be obvious and visible to the naked eye. These features, which are incorporated to enable the public to identify whether documents are genuine or counterfeit, are classified as Level 1 security features. Level 2 features are semi-covert security features that can be examined by trained examiners using simple equipment such as electronic readers and light microscopes. These features include barcodes, microprinting and planchettes. Level 3 security features are covert security features that are inspected in forensic examinations of documents. Examples include magnetic stripes, RFID tags, EMV chips, ultraviolet inks, infrared inks and fluorescent inks. These features require more sophisticated equipment such as electronic chip readers, high-power microscopes and video spectral comparators for document inspection. Table 2 shows the security feature classification based on document inspection levels.
<table><caption>**Table 2.** Security features classified by inspection level.</caption><thead><tr><td>Inspection Level</td><td>Examples</td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Level 1</td><td>Pre-printed text, intaglio printing, letterpress printing, needle printing, security thread, stitching thread, bleeding ink, fugitive ink, iridescent ink, optically-variable ink, photochromic ink, thermochromic ink, laser perforation, needle perforation, laser perforation with tilting effects, hologram, optical stripe, latent image, variable laser image, kinegram, identigram, secondary (ghost) image, blind embossed stamp, registered embossed stamp, ink stamp, overprinted laminate, embossed laminate, iridescent laminate, retroreflective laminate, singletone watermark, duotone watermark, multitone watermark, transparent window, see-through register, serial number, national identification number, pantograph</td></tr><tr><td>Level 2</td><td>Endless text, barcode, background printing, laser printing, miniprinting, gravure printing, inkjet printing, micro-printing, offset printing, rainbow coloring, screen printing, thermal printing, schablon (stencil) multiple coloring, laser fine structure perforation, synthetic fiber, security fiber, planchette, hot foil stamp, fine line, guilloche</td></tr><tr><td>Level 3</td><td>Magnetic ink characters, magnetic stripe, RFID tag, EMV chip, ultraviolet ink, infrared ink, ultraviolet feature laminate, fluorescent fiber, fluorescent ink, fluorescent overprint, fluorescent planchette, fluorescent security thread, fluorescent serial number, fluorescent stitching thread</td></tr></tbody></table>

## 3.3 Security Feature Security Levels

Incorporating document security features that are highly resistant to fraud is costly due to the raw materials required and the complexity of the manufacturing processes. High-value documents incorporate strong security-level features such as RFID tags, EMV chips, laser perforations with tilting effects, ghost image perforations and latent images.

However, technological advances have made security features that were rare and highly resistant to fraud just a few years ago more ubiquitous and easily replicable [1, 6]. Examples of these features are magnetic stripes, inkjet printing, microprinting, offset printing, thermochromic inks, embossed stamps, digital watermarks and pantographs.

Other security features such as encrypted barcodes, bleeding inks and fugitive inks make documents highly resistant to alteration. However, due to the availability of the inks and barcode generators, these features do not adequately protect against document reproduction. Therefore, these features are deemed to have a weak security level.
<table><caption>**Table 3.** Security feature classified by security level.</caption><thead><tr><th>Security Level</th><th>Examples</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Strong Security Level</td><td>RFID tag, EMV chip, miniprinting, intaglio printing, laser perforation with tilting effects, secondary (ghost) laser image perforation, laser fine structure perforation, latent image, variable laser image, kinegram, synthetic fiber, security fiber, transparent window, see-through register, fine line, guilloche, fluorescent fiber, fluorescent planchette, fluorescent security thread</td></tr><tr><td>Weak Security Level</td><td>Endless text, pre-printed text, magnetic ink characters, barcode, magnetic stripe, background printing, laser printing, gravure printing, inkjet printing, microprinting, letterpress printing, needle printing, offset printing, rainbow coloring, screen printing, thermal printing, schablon (stencil) multiple coloring, security thread, stitching thread, ultraviolet ink, bleeding ink, fugitive ink, metallic ink, iridescent ink, optically-variable ink, infrared ink, photochromic ink, thermochromic ink, laser perforation, needle perforation, hologram, optical stripe, ghost image, blind embossed stamp, registered embossed stamp, ink stamp, planchette, hot foil stamp, ultraviolet feature laminate, overprinted laminate, embossed laminate, iridescent laminate, singletone watermark, duotone watermark, multitone watermark, serial number, national identification number, pantograph, fluorescent highlight, fluorescent ink, fluorescent overprint, fluorescent serial number, fluorescent stitching thread</td></tr></tbody></table>

Table 3 categorizes security features into two classes, strong and weak security levels. In general, a combination of security features of various levels must be employed to reduce costs while achieving appropriate overall levels of document security. For example, a security thread with microprinting and fluorescent ink along with a hologram would provide greater protection than a security fiber alone.

## 4 Analysis of Security Features

Security features incorporated in documents are tailored to the importance of the documents as well as their sizes, shapes and looks. However, to understand the vulnerabilities of documents to alteration and reproduction, and their security levels and production costs, it is necessary to identify and assess the specific security features that are incorporated.

Table 4 lists a sampling of common Indian documents along with their security features. As mentioned above, high-value documents incorporate more se-
<figure><img src="image_7.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 4. Security features in genuine (left) and counterfeit (right) Indian banknotes.</figcaption></figure>

security features with higher levels of security than low-value documents. Clearly, the security of banknotes to a country cannot be overstated. As seen in Table 4, Indian banknotes incorporate numerous security features. The security features are of different types, require different inspection methods and have different security levels. The combination of features renders Indian banknotes notes resistant to counterfeiting.

Figure 4 shows images of security features in genuine and counterfeit Indian banknotes. The genuine banknotes are printed using intaglio printing. As mentioned above, intaglio printing is a strong security feature and is difficult to reproduce, forcing counterfeiters to use offset printing. Offset printing is a weak security feature and, as seen in Figure 4, the visual differences between security features in authentic and counterfeit banknotes are evident [13].

National passports are clearly high-value documents. Table 4 shows that Indian passports incorporate similar security features as Indian banknotes, including magnetic ink characters, microprinting, laser perforations and ink stamps. Figure 5 shows images of the security features in an Indian passport. The use of guilloches, fluorescent inks and fluorescent stitching threads, which are strong security features, makes it difficult to alter or reproduce Indian passports.

On the other hand, Table 4 shows that low-value documents such as insurance certificates and academic transcripts employ few and weak security features such as barcodes and watermarks that are not resistant to tampering and counterfeiting.

Figure 6 shows the security features incorporated in a product label, background printing and offset printing, which are weak security features.

Individuals and organizations that produce such low-value documents are not interested in investing in expensive security features to safeguard them. Barcodes and holograms are commonly used in low-value documents because they are inexpensive and provide protection from alteration and counterfeiting.
<table><caption>**Table 4.** Common Indian documents and their security features.</caption><thead><tr><th>Document Type</th><th>Documents</th><th>Security Features</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="4">National Identity Cards</td><td>Passport</td><td>Magnetic ink characters, barcode, background printing, microprinting, laser perforation, hologram, ink stamp, security fiber, watermark, national identification number, fine line, guilloche, fluorescent ink, fluorescent stitching thread</td></tr><tr><td>Driver's License</td><td>EMV chip, ultraviolet ink, national identification number</td></tr><tr><td>PAN Card</td><td>Barcode, ultraviolet ink, hologram, watermark</td></tr><tr><td>Voter Card</td><td>Hologram</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="4">Financial Documents</td><td>Banknote</td><td>Background printing, laser printing, micro-printing, intaglio printing, offset printing, security thread, ultraviolet ink, optically-variable ink, latent image, embossed stamp, watermark, transparent window, see-through register, serial number, fine line, guilloche, fluorescent fiber, fluorescent ink, fluorescent serial number</td></tr><tr><td>Bank Check</td><td>Pre-printed text, magnetic ink characters, barcode, background printing, microprinting, ultraviolet ink, bleeding ink, watermark, serial number, pantograph</td></tr><tr><td>Demand Draft</td><td>Magnetic ink characters, watermark</td></tr><tr><td>Insurance Certificate</td><td>Watermark</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="6">Other Documents</td><td>Postage Stamp</td><td>Background printing, intaglio printing, offset printing</td></tr><tr><td>Legal Stamp Paper</td><td>Pre-printed text, microprinting, intaglio printing, rainbow coloring, security thread, ultraviolet ink, watermark, guilloche</td></tr><tr><td>Academic Transcript</td><td>Pre-printed text, barcode, microprinting, rainbow coloring, ultraviolet ink, watermark</td></tr><tr><td>Product Label</td><td>Barcode, background printing, offset printing, hologram</td></tr></tbody></table>
<figure><img src="image_8.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 5. Security features in an Indian passport.</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_9.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 6. Security features in a product label.</figcaption></figure>

## 5 Conclusions

Security features are incorporated in documents to safeguard them from alterations and counterfeiting. Security features vary according to their raw materials, manufacturing processes, robustness, alteration and counterfeiting resistance, usability and cost. The value of the documents to be secured dictates the specific combination of features that are employed.
However, advancements in technology and the availability of special hardware and software enable fraudulent documents to be created despite the presence of security features. The classification of document security features based on security feature types, inspection levels and security levels supports the analysis of document security implementations and steers the development of new and improved security features and their combinations to combat document fraud.

The views expressed in this chapter are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology or Government of India.

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