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76 SMT Magazine • June 2014 by Todd Kramer SeCure CoMponenTS llC KRAMeR On COMPOnenTS CoLuMn Determining Testing Requirements for Components from unauthorized Sources It is common knowledge in the electronics industry that counterfeit parts can cause seri- ous, potentially fatal system failures. It is also known that the prevalence of counterfeits has increased to massive levels in the last decade. While there are numerous methods of alleviat- ing this problem, most all of them are centered around some form of testing, which is meant to verify that the part is both legitimate and in the condition that the buyer believes it to be. An additional reason to ensure that parts are adequately tested is liability. While no level of testing can guarantee that a part is absolutely authentic, fully functional, and is not a used or cloned part, showing supplier due diligence is vital when product that is not procured from an authorized source is used. In some environ- ments, such as the aerospace and defense in- dustries, it is required. This article will dem- onstrate not only the importance of proper testing, but ways to determine both the ideal quality and degree of testing that should be per- formed—and how to identify when you are re- ceiving this quality. Counterfeiting is a serious problem with massive negative effects—economic and oth- erwise. According to the International Cham- ber of Commerce, "The cost of counterfeiting and piracy for G20 nations is as much as $775 billion (USD) every year," as of 2008 [1] . In the same report that brought this fact to light, the cost of counterfeiting to G20 nations was expected to grow to $1.7 trillion annually by 2015 [1] . In addition to the ICC's report, a report issued by the Senate Armed Services Commit- tee in 2012 indicated that there were over one million counterfeit components in the United States military supply chain. These were indi- cated by the report to be a major concern due to their "significant impact on reliability and security of electron- ic systems" [1] . Ac- cording to an article in the Journal of