Component Counterfeit Risk and Traceability Controls

Counterfeit risk concentrates where demand outlives authorized supply. For legacy components, evaluate supplier relationships, original documentation, chain of custody, lot evidence, inspection plans, test requirements, and return terms.

Public inventory data can indicate that stock was listed; it cannot prove authenticity. Do not let a polished listing substitute for traceability.

Not every purchase warrants the same depth of inspection. A non-critical passives buy and a flight-control MCU justify different levels of testing, documentation review, and supplier qualification.

Define in advance what evidence is required for each risk tier: certificates of conformance, date-code photos, X-ray or decapsulation reports, and electrical test results.

The strongest counterfeit control is a credible ability to say no. Preserve alternates, maintain redesign paths for the most constrained parts, and treat any source that resists reasonable evidence requests as a negative signal.