Lithuania

Multi-application smart cards are already widely deployed and used nowadays in eGovernment, ePayment, eHealth and other domains. Addition of biometric authentication enhances reliability (more secure than PIN), safety and convenience (hygienic, no need to touch PINpads or terminals sensor in case of BSoC especially while pandemic), reference card holder data security (no vulnerable and GDPR sensitive central database for biometrics is needed, card holder data cannot be read out from stolen / lost smart cards) and availability (users with no education in poor countries to obtain subsidy).

This fellowship support my ongoing contributions to the Biometric System-on-Card (BSoC) and On-Card Comparison (OCC) related interindustry ISO/IEC standards address the following three key aspects:
Firstly, bridging Definition Gaps: Bridging existing gaps in definitions in the ISO/IEC 17839 and ISO/IEC 24787 series, specifically focusing on core, physical dimensions, and logical information exchange interfaces requirements. This involves a comprehensive examination of the latest hardware and software advancements prevalent in the market for biometric on-card verification-enabled smart cards also evaluating the need for potential scope extension to other non-smart card form factor holder verification devices with supplementary (e.g., BLE, NFC) communication interface support. The emphasis is on ensuring that the standards are not solely rooted in theory but are backed by practical use cases.

Secondly, enhancing Clarity and Consistency: addressing the ongoing challenge involves maintaining clarity and consistency in any standards revisions developed by ISO/IEC JTC1/SC17/WG11 (e.g., ISO/IEC 7816-11), particularly concerning other Standard Committees (SCs) and Working Groups (WGs) developed standards. This effort includes eliminating ambiguities and ensuring seamless alignment with cross-referenced ISO/IEC JTC1 SC37/WG3 and SC37/WG2 (e.g., ISO/IEC 19785-3) standards on BDIF (Biometric Data Interchange Formats) and CBEFF (Common Biometric Exchange Formats Framework) interfaces and formats.

Thirdly, prioritizing Practical Applicability: The standards development process places a significant emphasis on practical applicability by aiming for seamless integration in real-world interoperable scenarios. The main goal is to facilitate the straightforward integration, testing (e.g., through ISO/IEC 18584 series) and maintenance of the standard compliant biometric solutions within diverse-scale interindustry biometric systems, which typically accommodate hardware and software components provided by various vendors.

The work supported societal impacts by enhancing security and privacy, facilitating access to services, supporting digital transformation, promoting innovation and economic growth, and protecting individual rights in the digital age.

The work supported societal impacts by enhancing security and privacy, facilitating access to services, supporting digital transformation, promoting innovation and economic growth, and protecting individual rights in the digital age.