Client Specified Testing
Custom Testing utilizes Scenario, Technology and Operational testing methodologies as specified by the client. BSI offers manufacturers, integrators, and end users a broad range of testing capabilities to address unique requirements. These include developmental testing, comparative testing, standards conformance capability, interoperability, and vulnerability testing. BSI's mission of assisting government and the private sector in deterring criminal and terrorist attacks on the civil infrastructure by accelerating the adoption of biometrics extends to the testing of the technology for specialized applications.
Vulnerability and Countermeasure Testing evaluates the susceptibility to attack of a biometric device/system and then recommends design features or operating methods that reduce such vulnerability. Such tests can be performed for either the developer or the end-user. Some biometric devices have been subject to scrutiny because of the ability to spoof or trick the system into allowing access to users who are not allowed access. Biometric systems, like all electronic systems, are vulnerable to attack with varying degrees of effectiveness using a variety of weapons. BSI begins the vulnerability assessment by researching ways to attack a biometric. After these are identified BSI then attempts these attacks in a laboratory environment to determine how susceptible a system is using the most effective method(s).
After completion of the vulnerability assessment the team will generate a full report on the devices weaknesses and determine its level of resistance to identified attacks.
Interoperability Testing tests the ability to exchange and use information on a single system. When implementing multiple biometrics on a single system it would be detrimental for an end-user not to know if these devices are interoperable with each other. BSI can qualify a product as being interoperable, therefore more appealing to the end-user and will consist of Basic Interoperability Testing and Performance Interoperability Testing. Basic Interoperability Testing will determine the ability of a biometric device to create biometric data blocks that can be processed by other biometric comparison subsystems, and the ability of a biometric comparison subsystem to process biometric data blocks generated by other biometric devices. In addition to the Basic Interoperability Testing, Performance Interoperability Testing will determine the ability of biometric devices from different manufactures to generate and compare data according to a specified performance level.
If interoperability is found to be uneven during the first round of testing, a second test will be run to determine if changes can be made to the standardized biometric data blocks to improve the device's interoperability status. BSI will notify the manufacturer of the device's status and give recommendations on improvement. The manufacturer and BSI will then determine if another round of testing will be necessary.