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-  Biometric Testing Software  Expand or Collapse    -  Biometric Conformance Test Software (BioCTS)  Expand or Collapse      -  BioCTS for ISO/IEC 
    -  BioCTS for ANSI/NIST-ITL 
    -  BioCTS Machine Readable Tables 
    -  BioCTS in the Cloud 
  -  Biometric Application Programming Interface (BioAPI) Conformance Test Suite  Expand or Collapse      -  BioAPI CTS User Guide and Download 
  -  NIST/ITL Conformance Test Suite for Patron Format A Data Structures Specified in ANSI INCITS 398-2008, Common Biometric Exchange Formats Framework (CBEFF)  Expand or Collapse      -  Background on CBEFF Standards 
    -  CBEFF PFA User Guide and Download 

# Biometric Conformance Test Software (BioCTS)

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### NIST/ITL CSD Biometric Conformance Test Software for Biometric Data Interchange Formats

### 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.
                  -  **BioCTS for ISO/IEC** 
                  -  **BioCTS for ANSI/NIST-ITL** 
                  -  **BioCTS AN MRT** 
                  -  **BioCTS in the Cloud** 

### 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)

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## 

Biometrics

-  **‹** Biometric Testing Software 
-  BioCTS for ISO/IEC **›** 

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