What is the MOST critical characteristic of a biometric identifying system?

A.
Perceived intrusiveness

B.
Storage requirements

C.
Accuracy

D.
Scalability

Explanation:
Biometrics are based on the Type 3 authentication mechanism — something you are. Biometrics are defined as
an automated means of identifying or authenticating the identity of a living person based on physiological or
behavioral characteristics.
The most critical characteristic of a biometric identifying system (or any other identification and authentication
system) is the accuracy of the system. The system needs to ensure that the identification of the person is
correct.
Incorrect Answers:
A: The perceived intrusiveness of a biometric system is an important consideration. Users will not be happy to
use a system which is perceived to be too intrusive. However, this is not as critical as the accuracy of the
system.
B: The storage requirement of a biometric system is not an important consideration. Storage is cheapnowadays and biometric data does not require much storage space.
D: The scalability of a biometric system could be an important consideration if the company intends to expand
in the future although most biometric systems are easily scalable. However, this is not as critical as the
accuracy of the system.

Krutz, Ronald L. and Russell Dean Vines, The CISSP and CAP Prep Guide: Mastering CISSP and CAP, Wiley
Publishing, Indianapolis, 2007, p. 58