A method comprising: storing a corresponding relationship between type or model information of terminal devices and collecting algorithms for collecting a characteristic code from human biological characteristic files; receiving (100, 200, 300), from a first terminal device, a first human biological characteristic file of an identity as a base file and first type or model information of the first terminal device; receiving (102, 202, 302), from a second terminal device, a request for an identity authentication corresponding to the identity, the request including a second human biological characteristic file of a person who requests the identity authentication and second type or model information of the second terminal device, the first and second type or model information associated with different collecting algorithms according to the corresponding relationship; choosing (106, 206, 310) a particular collecting algorithm according to the first type or model information or the second type or model information and the corresponding relationship; obtaining (108, 202, 306) a characteristic code to be authenticated from the second human biological characteristic file, the characteristic code to be authenticated corresponding to a human biological characteristic of the person who requests the identity authentication, the characteristic code to be authenticated obtained using the particular collecting algorithm; collecting (110, 208, 312) a base characteristic code from the base file by using the particular collecting algorithm; determining (112, 210, 314) that the base characteristic code and the characteristic code to be authenticated correspond to the same human biological characteristic; and verifying (112, 210, 314) the request for the identity authentication in response to determining that the base characteristic code and the characteristic code to be authenticated correspond to the same human biological characteristic. storing a corresponding relationship between type or model information of terminal devices and collecting algorithms for collecting a characteristic code from human biological characteristic files; receiving (100, 200, 300), from a first terminal device, a first human biological characteristic file of an identity as a base file and first type or model information of the first terminal device; receiving (102, 202, 302), from a second terminal device, a request for an identity authentication corresponding to the identity, the request including a second human biological characteristic file of a person who requests the identity authentication and second type or model information of the second terminal device, the first and second type or model information associated with different collecting algorithms according to the corresponding relationship; choosing (106, 206, 310) a particular collecting algorithm according to the first type or model information or the second type or model information and the corresponding relationship; obtaining (108, 202, 306) a characteristic code to be authenticated from the second human biological characteristic file, the characteristic code to be authenticated corresponding to a human biological characteristic of the person who requests the identity authentication, the characteristic code to be authenticated obtained using the particular collecting algorithm; collecting (110, 208, 312) a base characteristic code from the base file by using the particular collecting algorithm; determining (112, 210, 314) that the base characteristic code and the characteristic code to be authenticated correspond to the same human biological characteristic; and verifying (112, 210, 314) the request for the identity authentication in response to determining that the base characteristic code and the characteristic code to be authenticated correspond to the same human biological characteristic.