NIST Special Publication 800 -76-2 Biometric Specifications for Personal Identity Verification Patrick Grother Wayne Sala mon Ramaswamy Chandramouli I N F O R M A T I O N S E C U R I T Y NIST Special Publication 800 -76-2 Biometric Specifications for Personal Identity Verification Patrick Grother Wayne Salamon Information Access Division Information Technology Laboratory Ramaswamy Chandramouli Computer Security Division Information Technology Laboratory July 2013 U.S. Department of Commerce Penny Pritzker , Secretary National Institute of Standards and Technology Patrick D. Gallagher, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director ii National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800- 76-2 Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Spec. Publ. 800- 76-2, 61 pages (July 2013) CODEN: NSPUE2 Comments on this publication may be submitted to: National Institute of Standards and Technology Attn: Information Access Division, Information Technology Laboratory 100 Bureau Drive (Mail Stop 89 40) Gaithersburg, MD 20899- 8940 Certain commercial entities, equipment, or materials may be identified in this document in order to describe an experimental procedure or concept adequately. Such identification is not intended to imply recommendation or endorsement by NIST, nor is it intended to imply that the entities, materials, or equipment are necessarily the best available for the purpose. There may be references in this publication to other publications currently under development by NIST in accord ance with its assigned statutory responsibilities. The information in this publication, including concepts and methodologies, may be used by Federal agencies even before the completion of such companion publications. Thus, until each publication is completed, current requirements, guideline s, and procedures, where they exist, remain operative. For planning and transition purposes, Federal agencies may wish to closely follow the development of these new publications by NIST. Organizations are encouraged to r eview all draft publications during public comment periods and provide feedback to NIST. All NIST Computer Security Division publications , other than the ones noted above, are available at http://csrc.nist.gov/publications . iii Reports on Computer Systems Technology The Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) promotes the U.S. economy and public welfare by providing technical leadership for the N ation’s measurement and standards infrastru cture. ITL develops tests, test methods, reference data, proof of concept implementations, and technical analyses to advance the development and productive use of information technology. ITL’s responsibilities include the development of management, adminis trative, technical, and physical standards and guidelines for the cost -effective security and privacy of other than national security -related information in Federal information systems. The Special Publication 800- series reports on ITL’s research, guidelin es, and outreach efforts in information system security, and its collaborative activities with industry, government, and academic organizations. Abstract Homeland Security Presidential Directive HSPD -12, Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors [HSPD -12], called for Homeland Security Presidential Directive HSPD -12, Policy for a Common Identification Standard for Federal Employees and Contractors [HSPD -12], called for new standards to be adopted governing interope rable use of identity credentials to allow physical and logical access to Federal government locations and systems. The Personal Identity Verificat