VB Enterprise Platform Provides DoD Compliance For Advanced Traceability

Verify Brand has enhanced its advanced serialization, traceability and authentication platform, VB Enterprise, to support asset visibility and supply-chain security for OEMs and government contractors, the company announced.

In the age of government-targeted cyber attacks and widespread counterfeit electronics, the ability to trace a supplier and verify the authenticity of critical military products is more important than ever, the statement said.

The VB Enterprise platform uses unique, unpredictable codes or serial numbers, as well as product traceability, to help combat potentially dangerous counterfeits and secure the supply chain for mission-critical parts, including command, control, communications and computer (C4) equipment. Testing and validating all hardware and software components used in this equipment can be extremely difficult and time consuming because the products come from a range of vendors that support both commercial and defense customers.

In addition to supporting counterfeit protection and avoidance programs, the VB Enterprise platform provides compliance with the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) MIL-STD-130 standard, which requires that assets valued at $5,000 or more be “marked” with Item Unique Identification (IUID) codes. The DoD uses these codes to track and account for assets. 

Defense contractors, OEMs and subcontractors can use the VB Enterprise platform to support the entire process of creating and registering standard-compliant IUID codes. The platform also can communicate with the DoD’s IUID registry to automate DoD registration, saving hours of time when registering large deliveries of products.  All events and alerts – from IUID creation to product acceptance – are cataloged in reports, which can be monitored via the Web, on any mobile device or via scheduled emails.

The Verify Brand platform allows users to quickly and easily confirm the authenticity of products, so suspicious components can be targeted for thorough testing and validation, while verified products continue through the supply chain.  Suspicious parts can be identified, quarantined and electronically reported to trading partners.

“The VB Enterprise supports secure serialization, product tracking and product authentication across the supply chain of brand owners, distributors, logistics partners and defense contractors,” said Mark Prokosch, Vice President of Verify Brand. “Combining secure, unpredictable unique identifiers with traceability software drastically reduces the proliferation of counterfeit parts within the defense supply chain.”

The VB Enterprise platform offers complete chain-of-custody proof – from manufacturing centers to customer receipt – to verify the authenticity of C4 equipment or other high-value goods, and to track suspicious products back to their suppliers. This is especially crucial to helping prevent the spread of malicious software, or malware, which can infect a military network, damage vital equipment or expose critical military information to outside parties, the statement said.