Secure system for tracking elements using tags

A security system for securely and continuously tracking a plurality of elements, each element being associated with one or more sub-elements, the elements and sub-elements being processed through a plurality of manufacturing chains, the security system comprising:

• one or more tags permanently affixed to each of the plurality of elements and the one or more sub-elements associated with each element, each tag having a tag memory having storage locations and being accessible through a security string, a controller for accessing the tag memory in response to tag program routines, an I/O unit for electronic communication with the controller and for wireless communication, wherein the tag memory uses a hierarchical memory configuration for storing identity and/or processing history tracking information of each element and each associated sub-elements at each manufacturing stage of the plurality of manufacturing chains, the one or more tags of an element storing complete identity and processing history tracking information of all stages of the plurality of manufacturing chains through which the element and the associated sub-elements have been processed;
• and
• a communicator having a communication unit for wireless communication with the tags, a processor for executing tag program routines, including security routines, to cause the controller of the tags to access the tag memory, the communicator executing a security routine to access the tag memory by providing the security string associated with the tag to the controller of that tag,
• wherein the security string to access a tag associated with an element comprises at least identity information of the tag associated with the element and a password.