An apparatus is provided for authentication of an item or a label by storing unique random serial numbers or codes in a remote secure storage that can be used to authenticate the item or the label, generating a pointer to each stored unique random serial number/code and storing the generated pointer(s) in a client data storage. During or prior to a production run of the item(s) or label(s): the generated pointer(s) are sent from the client data storage to one or more media devices, the generated pointer(s) are obtained from the media device using a post-content manager, the unique random serial number(s)/code(s) are obtained from the server via the post-content manager using the generated pointer(s), the obtained unique random serial number(s)/code(s) are sent to the media device, and the received unique random serial number(s)/code(s) are imprinted on the item(s) or the label(s) using the media device.