System and method for generating and managing product authentication codes

A system for generating and authenticating product codes, the system comprising:

• a client computing device that receives a request from a user for a predetermined quantity of unique, pseudo-random codes to be applied to one or more products or packaging and transmits the request to at least one code generation computing device of a plurality of code generation computing devices, wherein each unique, pseudo-random code of a first predetermined quantity of unique, pseudo-random codes associated with a first request is unique from each unique, pseudo-random code of a second predetermined quantity of unique, pseudo-random codes;
• the at least one code generation computing device that receives the request from the client computing device and generates a predetermined quantity of sequential codes in response to the request for the predetermined quantity of unique, pseudo-random codes are wherein the predetermined quantity of unique, pseudo-random codes are generated in a specific format from the predetermined quantity of sequential codes using a format-preserving encryption (FPE) process and a single data element generated to specify that the predetermined quantity of unique, pseudo-random codes associated with the predetermined quantity of sequential codes that have been issued, the single data element being a highest numbered sequential code that has been generated using the FPE process;
• and
• an authentication computing device that receives authentication requests from the user for authentication of at least one unique, pseudo-random code of the predetermined quantity of unique, pseudo-random codes, and thereafter determines authenticity of the one or more products or packaging associated with the at least one unique, pseudo-random code that the user has requested to be authenticated by decrypting the at least one unique, pseudo- random code that the user has requested to be authenticated using the FPE process to generate at least one decrypted sequential code
• and comparing the decrypted sequential code to the single data element, the authenticity being determined when the decrypted sequential code is equal to or less than the single data element.