Methods for authenticating an item

A method for authenticating an item comprising:

• a. providing an entropically configured distinct physical feature (“identropy”) on an item;
• b. challenging the identropy and retrieving a first converted digital response based on the challenge;
• c. providing a plurality of sets of different encryption key pairs, each set comprising a private encryption key and a public decryption key and a sequence number, wherein each sequence number in the plurality of sets is different from the other sequence numbers in the plurality of sets;
• d. selecting one sequence number out of the sequence numbers provided in the plurality of sets of different encryption key pairs;
• e. encrypting the first converted digital response using the private encryption key from the same set as the selected sequence number;
• f. printing the encrypted response in the form of a machine-readable code in the adjacency of the identropy;
• g. printing the selected sequence number in the adjacency of, or in the same area as, the machine-readable code;
• h. providing a plurality of sets of decryption keys, wherein each set comprises a public decryption key and a sequence number;
• i. challenging the identropy a second time and retrieving a second converted digital response based on the challenge;
• j. scanning the machine-readable code;
• k. scanning the selected sequence number that is provided on, or in, the package;
• l. selecting the public key corresponding to the selected sequence number;
• m. decrypting the machine readable code using the public key corresponding to the sequence number yielding a second converted digital response;
• n. comparing the retrieved second converted digital response and the first converted digital response;
• and
• o. providing a trust score based on the comparison between the retrieved second converted digital response and the first converted digital response.