Criminals are creating fake security seals and locks to hide signs of tampering and obscure location or time of thefts, security firm G4S says
Security firm G4S says criminals are using 3D-printing technology to create fake cargo security seals and other security devices to disguise cargo thefts, according to the security information service SecuringIndustry.com.
It said the technology allowed thieves to make counterfeit copies of devices such as ISO 17712 high-security cargo seals and locks or padlocks in as little as 10 minutes, allowing them to hide signs of tampering and make it difficult to identify the location or time of the theft.
“For a few hundred dollars, a person can purchase a 3D scanner that creates the CAD technical specifications needed to produce a near-perfect replica,” said G4S.
Recent examples of the activity include the theft last year of a pharma shipment from a Swiss freight forwarding and logistics company’s container, and the posting online of CAD master files allowing anyone with a 3D printer to create keys and open any Transportation Security Administration (TSA) approved locks, SecuringIndustry.com reported.
G4S said companies needed to improve their supply-chain security and lower their vulnerability to this emerging threat. Among the measures shippers can take to protect shipments from this form of crime is to place and monitor GPS devices in cargo, install motion-activated cameras within vehicles and alternate the colours of ISO 17712 seals, issuing them in random order, SecuringIndustry.com reported.
Employees should also be trained on procedures for controlling, affixing, removal, and recognition of true and counterfeit high-security seals, it added.
