Counterfeit computer chips find their way into critical defense systems and medical devices, threatening lives and national security. In September 2010, federal prosecutors indicted two Florida people for selling more than 59,000 counterfeit computer chips from China to the U.S. Navy and others for use aboard warships, fighter planes, missile and anti-missile systems, and other"life-critical applications" like controllers for high-speed trains. U.S. Customs estimates that between November 2007 and May 2010 they seized over 5.6 million bogus computer chips. In May 2010, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security announced the results of "Operation Network Raider" that netted $143 million of counterfeit Cisco Systems computer hardware and other products and 30 felony convictions. Some of the products were intended to be used by the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq.

TruTag™ microtags can be used on very small electronic items that are subject to an environment where RFIDs and other solutions cannot function reliably. Silica has a melting point of 1600°C, so TruTag microtags are very heat-resistant and the small size of the particles allows for covert application of very small components.