for Departments Seeking Legislative Provision for Information Matching: Information Matching Privacy Impact Assessments. 7.12 Biometrics Biometric information refers to the measurable physiological and behavioural characteristics of a person. Physiological characteristics are those that are fixed or stable (e.g. face (facial thermograph), fingerprint, hand (veins and geometry), iris (retinal scan) and DNA). Behavioural characteristics are skills or functions performed by an individual at a specific time for a specific reason (e.g. voice, signature, gait and keystroke). Biometric information can be used in EOI processes as part of the initial establishment of a person's identity, and for the ongoing authentication of identity. Biometric information will usually be collected as part of an initial establishment of identity process and then stored as a template for future comparisons. Biometric information can be utilised in an EOI process in the following ways: a manual process (e.g. comparing a photographic image on a passport to a physical person); or an automated process that uses biometric technologies to carry out automated measurement, authentication or identification of biometric information (e.g. a computer-based comparison of a photographic image of a person with a previously captured image on a passport). The main value of biometric information in an EOI process is its ability to establish, to a degree of probability, a record that a single person links to a single identity (Objectives C and D) for Moderate and High EOI Confidence Level process. 7.12.1 Considerations for agencies Agencies SHOULD consider whether the use of biometric information is the most appropriate