Authentication tech specialist Nanotech Security Corp was sold to Meta Materials for $73 million just three years ago.
Incident has been followed by a rise in phishing and malware-backed attacks, according to cybersecurity experts.
Infected sticks have been found on ships in Norwegian, Greek and Netherlands vessels in the last few months
There were recorded 771 theft incidents in the period, a 33 per cent increase on the same period of 2023.
July should be denoted as National Anti-Counterfeiting and Consumer Education and Awareness Month, says text.
Smaller, low-tech companies are found to be most at risk of going out of business due to counterfeiting.