Which term refers to the data used to identify or verify a person in biometrics?

• A. Scan data
• B. Key features
• C. The template
• D. None

Answer: (C)

In biometrics, the data used to identify or verify a person is the template—a compact digital representation that encodes the distinctive features extracted from the biometric sample. When a trait is scanned, the raw data (like a fingerprint image or iris scan) is captured, then features are extracted to form this template. The system compares new scans to stored templates to approve or identify a person. Templates are smaller and often designed to be non-invertible to protect privacy. The term “key features” describes the parts of the data used to build the template, but the actual stored data used for matching is the template itself.