API (Application Program Interface)
A computer code which is a set of instructions or services used to standardize an application.

Authentication
The process of establishing the validity of a user attempting to gain access to a system.

Biometrics
Measurement of human characteristics that are unique to each individual - either physiologically or behaviorally - to determine one individual from the rest and proof of identity.

Enrollment
The initial process of collecting data (biometric or non-biometric) from a user and then storing it in a reference template for later comparison.

Equal Error Rate (EER)
The point at which the probability of a false accept is equal to the probability of a false reject.

False Acceptance Rate (FAR)
The percentage of imposters incorrectly matched to a valid user's biometric.

False Identity
When a person claims to be someone else.

False Rejection Rate (FRR)
The percentage of incorrectly rejected valid users.

Feature Extraction
The automated process of locating and encoding distinctive characteristics from a biometric sample in order to generate a template.

Fixed Phrase
A predefined sentence said by the user for the purpose of authentication.

Flexible Phrase
A sentence selected by the user during enrollment to be used for the purpose of authentication.

Free Speech
User authentication by user speaking freely for about 7 seconds.

High Availability
A system design protocol and associated implementation that ensures a certain absolute degree of operational continuity during a given measurement period. Availability refers to the ability of the user community to access the system, whether to submit new work, update or alter existing work, or collect the results of previous work. If a user cannot access the system, it is said to be unavailable (also known as downtime).

Identification
The procedure allowing recognition of an entity by a system, usually by utilizing a unique machine-readable user name, with a digital ID.

Identity Theft
A serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen often spend months or years and thousands of dollars cleaning up the mess that thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims of identity theft may lose job opportunities, be refused loans for education, housing or cars and even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit. Humiliation, anger and frustration are among the feelings victims experience as they navigate the process of rescuing their identity.

Identity Management
A system that provides a cluster of services relating to Identity Management. The central service is authentication, and the system may also support other services such as pre-authentication, authorizations, single sign-on, identity repository management, a synchronization management facility, user self-service registration, user self-service capabilities, and audit.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
A computerized system that allows a person, typically a telephone caller, to select an option from a voice menu and otherwise interface with a computer system. Generally, the system plays pre-recorded voice prompts to which the person presses a number on a telephone keypad to select the option chosen, or speak simple answers such as "yes," "no" or a string of numbers in answer to the voice prompts.

Language Independent
Enrollment in one language and authentication in another.

Multifactor Authentication
A system in which multiple different factors (pieces of information and processes used to authenticate a person’s identity) are used to authenticate an individual’s identity, delivering a higher level of authentication assurance than use of a single authentication factor.

Multilingual
A voice verification system that supports several languages for authentication.

Password Reset
The process of resetting a password that is lost, stolen or forgotten, which typically involves first authenticating the individual requesting a password reset, then provisioning a new password, and finally notifying the requestor of the new password.

Phishing
A criminal activity where phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

Playback Protection (PBP)
A feature which increases security by preventing use of pre-recorded phrases. Following authentication, the user is asked to repeat several sets of random digits. The number of digits in each set is configurable.

Strong Authentication
The use of two-factor authentication (T-FA) or multifactor authentication to create a higher level of security for granting privileges to an application. Strong authentication combines two or more independent factors of identification, such as a password (something you know), a token (something you have), voice verification (something you are), fingerprint, KBA, etc.

Text Dependent
A biometric system that requires an individual to say a specific set of numbers or words.

Text Independent
A biometric system that does not require an individual to say a specific set of numbers or words and creates voiceprints from unconstrained speech.

Two-Factor Authentication
A specific form of multifactor authentication which refers to the use of exactly two independent factors of identification being utilized together to create a stronger authentication than the use of a single factor, such as a password. A typical two-factor authentication could be a password (something you know) combined with voice verification (something you are).

Verification
The process of comparing a biometric sample voiceprint against a single reference template of a specific user in order to confirm the identity of the person trying to gain access to a system (essentially a one to one comparison match).