Overview
ISO/IEC 29120-1:2022 specifies a machine-readable format for biometric test reports. Part 1 of the ISO/IEC 29120 series defines the ASN.1-based syntax and encoding rules to represent the output of biometric technology and scenario tests in a standard, machine-interpretable form. The standard supports documentary evidence of testing, verification of report authenticity, product registries, and reliable remote reliance on biometric products - while explicitly not prescribing biometric sample/template formats or test metrics.
Key topics and technical requirements
- ASN.1 syntax and object identifiers: Test reports are modelled as a BiometricTestReport SEQUENCE with typed content (technology test, scenario test, or signed test report). Specific ASN.1 object identifiers are defined for each content type.
- Encoding rules: Test reports shall be encoded using ASN.1 XML Encoding Rules (XER) or Basic Encoding Rules (BER) (ISO/IEC 8825‑4 and ISO/IEC 8825‑1).
- Structured data types: Types such as TestReportTechnology, ProductInformation and TestReportInformation define fields for product/provider details, versioning, and a sequence of condition-specific test results.
- Provider and product metadata: ProductInformation includes provider name, provider type (e.g., corporation, university, government), provider role (manufacturer, reseller, integrator), product name, functions, modality and optional descriptive fields.
- Conformance: A test report is conformant only if it meets all normative requirements of ISO/IEC 29120-1.
- Integrity and signatures: The standard includes data types for signed test reports to protect report integrity and authenticity.
- Scope limitations: The standard does not mandate biometric sample/template formats, encapsulation, or define test performance metrics (those are in ISO/IEC 19795-1).
Applications
- Standardizing automated exchange of biometric test results between laboratories, certification bodies, vendors and relying systems.
- Enabling test result registries and searchable archives of evaluated biometric products.
- Supporting automated verification of a product’s test status and authenticity in deployment or procurement workflows.
- Facilitating interoperability when documenting technology and scenario evaluations for regulatory or compliance use.
Who should use this standard
- Biometric test laboratories and conformance testing organizations
- Product vendors and integrators producing test evidence
- Certification and accreditation bodies maintaining product registries
- System architects and security teams integrating biometric components and relying on standardized test metadata
Related standards
Keywords: ISO/IEC 29120-1:2022, machine-readable test data, biometric testing, test reports, ASN.1, XER, BER, biometric test report, ISO/IEC 19795.