Title: ACRONYMS AND GLOSSARY

Acronyms and Glossary

Aliveness test    Also called liveness test    
The process of checking that the captured biometric data originates from the real person being authenticated

API    Application Programming Interface

Authentication    Verification of the identity of a person or process

BEE

Behavioural biometrics    Also called active biometrics    
Biometrics measuring characteristics represented by skills or functions performed by an individual at a specific time for a specific reason (e.g., a signature or keystroke dynamics)

CAIssuer of certificates and (usually) CRLs. It may also support a variety of administrative functions, although these are often delegated.

CertificateA certificate is information referring to a public key that has been digitally signed by a Certification Authority (CA)

Credential    A general term for privilege attribute data that has been certified by a trusted privilege certification authority

CRLCertificate Revocation List

DNA    Desoxyribonucleic Acid    
DNA-molecules code the genetic information for every life-form.

Dynamic biometrics    Biometrics measuring a trait while an action is taking place

EER    Equal Error Rate    
Cross-over point, where FAR = FRR

Eigenfaces    A set of eigenvectors derived from the covariance matrix of the probability distribution of the high-dimensional vector space of possible faces of human beings

Eigenvector    Non-zero vectors which, when operated on by the operator, result in a scalar multiple of themselves

End EntityA generic term used to denote end-users, devices (e.g., servers, routers), or any other entity that can be identified in the subject field of a public key certificate. End entities typically consume and/or support PKI-related services

ETSI    European Telecommunications Standardisation Institute

FAR    False Acceptance Rate;    
Rate of erroneous acceptance of biometric identifiers

FRR    False Rejection Rate    
Rate of erroneous rejection of biometric identifiers

FTR

GPRS    Global Package Radio System    
European standard for mobile communication

Hash     A constant length distillation of a message

IBG    Independent Biometric Group    
Independent biometric research, consulting and technology solutions firm based in the United States (see also www.bioprivacy.org)

ICAO    International Civil Aviation Organization

IDAn identifier (ID) is a name or string of bits. IDs can be assigned to subjects and objects. An identifier for a subject – with respect to a given community – is any information that uniquely characterizes this subject in this community

ISO     International Organisation for Standardization

JTC    Joint ISO/IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) technical committee

Kerckhoff‘s principle    In fact one of a set of principles; by default is meant that a cryptosystem should be secure even if everything about the system, except the key, is public knowledge

LDS    Logical Data Structure

MRTDs    Machine Readable Travel Documents

PDA    Personal Digital Assistant

Physiological biometrics    Also called passive biometrics    
Biometrics referring to fixed or stable human characteristics (e.g., fingerprints, hand geometry, iris pattern and, within biometrics technology, facial image and voice patterns)

PIA    Privacy Impact Assessment

PIN    Personal Identification Number

PKI    Public Key Infrastructure

Public Key Cryptography     Cryptography in which a public and private key pair is used, encrypting the data at the sender’s end and decrypting it at the receiver’s end. Since the data is encrypted while it travels the public Internet, no additional security is needed — it can safely use public networks without loss of confidentiality

RA    Registration Authority    
Optional component that can assume a number of administrative functions from the CA. The RA is often associated with the End Entity registration process, but can assist in a number of other areas as well

Repository    A generic term used to denote any method for storing certificates and CRLs so that they can be retrieved by End Entities

SIM    Subscriber Identity Module    
Number stored on a chip card inserted into mobile devices to identify them in mobile communication networks using GPRS or UMTS

Static biometrics    Biometrics measuring a trait that requires no action at the time of verification or identification

Tamper resistance    Resistance to tampering (manipulation) by either the normal users of the system or others with physical access to it

Template    A template is the digital identifier calculated from physical or behavioural characteristics of a subject by using biometric methods

Token     Hardware device that performs cryptographic functions and stores cryptographic keys, certificates, and user data

UMTS    Universal Mobile Telecommunication Standard    
International standard for mobile communication

WP 29Art. 29 Data Protection Working Party