4.1 Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as unique digital certificates that verify the history and details of products – like a special label on a package or a report in a lab – tracking them from creation to delivery using a secure online system known as Blockchain Technology. Unlike regular digital money (cryptocurrencies), which are all the same and can be swapped one for another, each NFT is one-of-a-kind and can be used to track a single unit batch or lot of a product line. They can not just be exchanged equally because each has its special features, history, and sometimes even digital signatures, making it unique to the product they are authenticating. These NFTs are made and managed on special digital platforms that ensure they stay unique and secure. This allows them to be viewed in a clear and trustworthy record of their history and authenticity.

4.2 Importance of NFT Authentication with Blockchain Timestamps—Authenticating an NFT is the process of verifying that it is genuine and not a counterfeit or unauthorized copy. One innovative method of authentication involves creating a snapshot of a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) for the NFT and placing it with a timestamp on the blockchain. This blockchain timestamp provides an immutable and verifiable record of the NFT’s origin and authenticity. Authentication helps maintain the integrity of the products tracked with that COA, builds trust among participants, and protects the value of physical assets. By leveraging blockchain's timestamp capabilities and verifying the authenticity of an NFT, wholesalers and consumers can be confident in their purchases in any marketplace.

4.3 Overview of the Authentication Process—Authenticating an NFT on the blockchain involves examining the digital asset's underlying smart contract, metadata, digital signature, and transaction history. These components, along with various tools and services, can be used to verify the NFT's origin, ownership, and uniqueness. The authentication process typically includes the following steps:

4.3.1 Examining the NFT’s Smart Contract—This involves analyzing the code and structure of the smart contract that governs the NFT, ensuring that it conforms to established standards, such as ERC-721 or ERC-1155, and checking for any irregularities or signs of tampering.

4.3.2 Verifying the NFT’s Metadata—Metadata is the information associated with an NFT, such as its name, description, image, and creator. By verifying the metadata, individuals can ensure that it matches the intended digital asset and has not been altered or manipulated.

4.3.3 Confirming the Digital Signature—Digital signatures are cryptographic tools used to confirm the authenticity and integrity of digital data. They can be used to verify that an NFT was created by its claimed creator and has not been tampered with.

4.3.4 Checking the NFT's Transaction History—By examining the NFT's transaction history on the blockchain, individuals can trace its ownership and provenance, ensuring that it has been legitimately acquired and transferred. By following these steps and using the appropriate tools and resources, individuals can authenticate an NFT on the blockchain and have confidence in the digital asset's legitimacy and value.

1.1 This guide was written to introduce the concept of tracking physical and digital goods as well as crypto assets for transactions or marketing and branding purposes on a Web3 blockchain technology storage platform. This represents a significant shift in technology, where blockchain assets are available on a public digital ledger, open for all to view and verify. It marks a paradigm shift from the private cloud storage currently used in Web2 infrastructure platforms. This guide provides minimum requirements for the secure verification of a Certificate of Authentication (COA) used to track any product through their supply chain by utilizing Blockchain Technology. The implementation of blockchain technology can enhance the transparency, traceability, and trustworthiness of the supply chain, ensuring product quality and authenticity while reducing the potential for fraud, tampering, and other malicious activities. Each Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is minted on the blockchain, featuring a screenshot of the summary page on the front of a Non-Fungible Token (NFT) with the unique traits of that lab report tagged as metadata. Examples of this metadata include the name of the lab, the name of the client, the unique identifier of the sample tested, and the date the test was performed. To enhance the tracking and security of these COAs, various tracking devices can be linked to the COA on the blockchain, depending on the product's specific needs and the nature of the supply chain. These devices include RFID tags, QR codes, holograms, micro transponders, and embeddable watermarks. Each serves a unique purpose, from instant verification via QR codes to advanced security and tracking through RFID and micro transponders. Holograms and embeddable watermarks provide additional layers of security, making counterfeiting significantly more challenging and verifying authenticity more straightforward and reliable.

1.2 Certificates of Authenticity (COA’s) should be verified by authorized parties in accordance with the applicable regulations within the authority having jurisdiction. It is the requirement of each party to ensure compliance and legal authority for the verification process.

1.3 A verification plan, based on a risk assessment, should be in place and executed for tracking products using a Certificate of Authenticity on the blockchain. The verification plan should identify/address:

1.3.1 The assets and data to be protected and the identified threats to those assets and data during the phases of the supply chain process. An example of this is a lab report that copied onto the blockchain with the image of the summary page on the front of the Non Fungible Token (NFT).

1.4 The specific verification measures to be deployed in the COA tracking program commensurates with the value of the physical assets being tracked and are broken into three key areas. Physical security measures for a COA ensure that the hard copies of the certificate, as well as any samples or products associated with it, are stored safely and are protected from unauthorized access, tampering, or damage. Tracking devices used to track the physical products could include RFID, QR codes or micro transponders. Technical security measures for a COA revolve around protecting the The digital versions or electronic records of the certificate once it is minted onto the blockchain. Administrative security measures for a COA encompass policies, protocols, and practices to oversee its lifecycle, ensuring compliance, authenticity, and trust through regular audits, training, and defined responsibilities.

1.5 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.6 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.