#17: Tamper-Evident Stickers Often Offered More Reassurance Than Security
A shiny seal declaring “Warranty Void If Removed” or warning that a product had been protected against tampering could make electronics and software packages feel remarkably secure. These stickers provided a visible boundary between the consumer and whatever sensitive components or supposedly protected contents existed underneath. Yet many early versions offered limited resistance to anyone genuinely determined to bypass them. Depending on the adhesive and material, some could be carefully peeled away, heated, replaced, or otherwise manipulated without providing the level of protection their intimidating appearance suggested. Their greater power was psychological: an intact seal immediately communicated that a device appeared unopened and authentic. Most ordinary customers had neither the reason nor the desire to test how secure it actually was. A tiny piece of adhesive material therefore accomplished something valuable by making trust visible, even when the physical protection itself was relatively modest.
