Verification

Biometrics

Verification is the process of comparing a submitted biometric sample (trial template) against the biometric reference template of a single enrollee whose identity is being claimed, to determine whether it matches the enrollee’s reference template.

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Computer systems

Verification is the process of comparing two levels of system specification for proper correspondence (e.g., security policy model with top-level specification, top-level specification with source code, or source code with object code). This process may or may not be automated.

Digital certificate

Before a certification authority can issue a digital certificate to a user, it must verify the user’s identity in accordance with the organization’s preset policies. In some cases, the certification authority is set up to perform the identification and authentication of users by itself, but often this function is delegated to separate entities called registration authorities. A user’s identity is verified through one of two means, based on the level of security that is deemed necessary by the organization.

In the first method, the user would need to appear in person at the registration authority and present identity documents such as a birth certificate or passport. A second, less secure method, involves the confirmation of a shared secret through an online application. For example, the user could verify his identity by confirming something that the agency already knows about him but which is not common knowledge, such as tax return information. After verifying the user’s identity, the registration authority creates a unique user name. This unique name, which may include the user’s given name, ensures that people who rely on the certificate can distinguish between several individuals with similar given names, much like an e-mail address. The certification authority then creates the certificate that irrevocably links that unique name to the user’s public key.