In addition to exposing fake - if visually deceptive – DOVIDs, diffractive signatures reveal information about the production techniques used by their creators, thus allowing counterfeits to be categorised efficiently. Unfortunately a microscopic examination (mapping) of a complete DOVID is extremely time-consuming. A problem that is successfully overcome by the Universal Hologram Scanner, which projects, records and analyses DOVID diffractive patterns in a fraction of the time. Rudolf van Renesse tests a Universal Hologram Scanner and discusses its functionality and potential.