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Biometric Conformance Test Software (BioCTS)
NIST/ITL CSD Biometric Conformance Test Software for Biometric Data Interchange Formats
 March 2026:BioCTS for ISO/IEC Conformance Test Suite for ISO/IEC 19794-14:2026 ed.3 DNA Data |
Downloads
NIST/ITL CSD Biometric Conformance Test Software (BioCTS) tests implementations for conformance to various biometric data interchange format standards. BioCTS for ISO/IEC tests for conformance to selected biometric standards developed by ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 37 - Biometrics and PIV profiles. BioCTS for ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011 and ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011 Update: 2013 tests for conformance to selected Record Types of the ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011 standard and the ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011 Update: 2013 respectively. BioCTS AN MRT tests for conformance to ANSI/NIST-ITL standards and profiles defined by configurable XML files known as ANSI/NIST Machine Readable Tables (MRTs).
To download a specific version of BioCTS and the associated documentation, select the link below. For other conformance testing software, including test suites for BioAPI and CBEFF Patron Format A Data Structures, see the links in the page menu.
Overview
NIST/ITL Computer Security Division (CSD) supports the development of national and international biometric standards and promotes conformity assessment through:
- Participation in the development of biometric standards
- Sponsorship of conformance testing methodology standard projects
- Development of associated conformance test architectures and test suites
- Leadership in national and international standards development bodies
Documentation
- NISTIR 7957 Conformance Test Architecture and Test Suite for ANSI/NIST-ITL 1-2011 NIEM XML Encoded Transactions, Fernando L. Podio, Dylan Yaga, and Christofer J. McGinnis, September 2013
- NISTIR 7877 BioCTS 2012: Advanced Conformance Test Architectures and Test Suites for Biometric Data Interchange Formats and Biometric Information Records, Fernando L. Podio, Dylan Yaga, and Christofer J. McGinnis, September 2012
Need for Conformance Testing
Conformance testing captures the technical description of a standard and measures whether an implementation faithfully implements the standard. Read more.
Software Description
BioCTS includes several features for testing implementations for conformance to biometric standards, including:
- Batch testing: allows a large number of implementations to be tested quickly.
- Editor: allows data to be edited, retested, and saved in order to make failing files compliant.
- Detailed results: results feature pass/fail/warning messages, test names, and descriptions when appropriate. The editor allows the results to be displayed in a hierarchical, expandable format.
Software Disclaimer
NIST/ITL CSD BioCTS Disclaimer
Software Requirements
BioCTS runs under Microsoft® Windows® 7TM Service Pack 1 and later, using the .NET 4.0 Framework. This includes Windows® 8.1TM and Windows® 10TM.
Sponsor
The BioCTS work was sponsored in part by the Department of Homeland Security/Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM).
Contact
Send comments/errors on the tool, sample data and documentation to BioCTS [at] nist.gov (BioCTS[at]nist[dot]gov)