To combat counterfeit thermal paste, Arctic updates scratch-off QR code authentication

German-Swiss cooling specialist Arctic Cooling has emailed Tom's Hardware with updated details on its MX Authenticity Check system. The QR code-based system assures customers that they can enjoy "safety with genuine Arctic quality." The company confirmed that the program is in response to counterfeit pastes.

Arctic reiterates the common wisdom that "thermal paste plays a central role in any PC build that relies on effective cooling, as it ensures optimal heat transfer from the processor to the heat sink." We have extensive articles testing individual new pastes, compounds, pads, and our bumper round up with over 50 pastes tested and ranked (updated earlier this year). Arctic MX pastes rub shoulders with the best, and might be the nearest we have to an industry standard, as all Tom's Hardware CPU testing is performed with a blob of MX-4 betwixt IHS and cooler block.

Our email from Arctic mentions that counterfeits are becoming "increasingly prevalent," which seems to be why the new product verification system has been introduced.

So, how does it work? Well, Arctic has a live MX Authenticity Check site already, so you can go and see for yourself. In brief, when you receive your new thermal paste from Arctic or one of the many retailers that carry these compounds, you first check the seal, scratch it to reveal a QR code, scan it with your mobile, and then verify it online. According to Arctic, the whole process takes "just a few seconds." After you are done, you will know if your paste is genuine Arctic gloop, or a dastardly doppelgänger dupe. While the program has been around for a while, the new 4-step graphic (seen above) is a new feature to make the verification process more readily apparent to customers.

Is the Arctic paste tube in your spares drawer genuine?

Many PC enthusiasts will already have a tube or two of thermal paste in their toolboxes, tool bags, or drawers. We even reported on tests showing 20-year-old paste – an ancient syringe of Arctic Cooling Silicone Paste – is still useful, despite being left in the rearview mirror by the latest formulations. But without the new QR-code system in place, there doesn't seem to be a way to confirm that your Arctic paste is genuine unless you bought it directly from the company.