The FIDO Alliance recently announced its Biometric Component Certification Program, the first such program for the industry at large, according to a press release.

The program utilizes accredited independent labs to certify that biometric subcomponents meet globally recognized performance standards for biometric recognition performance and Presentation Attack Detection and are fit for commercial use in various use cases. 

The alliance said that while biometric user verification has become a popular way to replace passwords and PINs, there has been a lack of an industry-defined programs to validate performance claims has led to concerns over variances in the accuracy and reliability of these products.

"With biometrics being a popular option for mobile and web applications implementing FIDO Authentication, there is a growing need for those service providers to appropriately assess the risk of fraud from lost or stolen devices," Brett McDowell, executive director of the Alliance, said in the press release. "While border control and law enforcement markets have mature assessment programs for their biometric systems, we were surprised that no such program existed for this rapidly growing consumer market."