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Strength of function for authenticators
This page is ARCHIVED. Please visit https://www.nist.gov/identity-access-management for current information on NIST’s Identity and Access Management work.
Read the latest draft!
NIST staff are reviewing comments and will release updates soon. The authors can be reached at sofa [at] nist.gov (sofa[at]nist[dot]gov).
The basics
The Strength of Function for Authenticators – Biometrics (SOFA-B) Discussion Draft is the next step in NIST’s efforts to produce a framework to evaluate and compare the strength of authentication solutions. The SOFA-B model incorporates three aspects: matching performance, presentation attack detection (aka spoof detection), and Effort (to break a system). The ultimate goal of this work is a measure for comparing and combining authentication technologies.
Approach
NIST has engaged the community to develop a document that will best support decision-making around biometric authentication technologies. To do so, the authors solicited feedback via GitHub. GitHub has enabled NIST to engage the community in near real time to more quickly create a better product.
Timeline
February 2017 | SOFA-B presented at RSA Conference 2017 | more
December 2016 | SOFA-B Discussion Draft public comment closes
November 2016 | SOFA-B webinar held | slides
October 2016 | SOFA-B Discussion Draft released for public comment
March 2016 | Strength of biometric authentication project charter released | more
February 2016 | Advanced Identity Workshop on Applying Measurement Science in the Identity Ecosystem: Summary and Next Steps (NISTIR 8103) draft published | PDF
January 2016 | Applying Measurement Science in the Identity Ecosystem workshop held at NIST | more
December 2015 | Measuring Strength of Authentication Discussion Draft released | PDF
Learn more
- Advanced Identity Workshop on Applying Measurement Science in the Identity Ecosystem: Summary and Next Steps (NISTIR 8103) | PDF
- Discussion draft for the Advanced Identity Workshop | PDF
Related blog posts
- Strength of Function for Authenticators Framework now open for comment | October 2016 | more
- Advanced Identity Workshop next steps | February 2016 | more
Contact: sofa [at] nist.gov (sofa[at]nist[dot]gov)