| Capability | Question it answers | Question it leaves open |
|---|---|---|
| Text extraction | What text could the system read? | Did the claimed issuer create this document? |
| Format validation | Do the values follow the configured rules? | Are the values true? |
| Consistency check | Do two observed fields agree? | Was the underlying evidence lawfully issued? |
| Security-feature assessment | Was an expected feature observed using an appropriate method? | Were all relevant features checked? |
| Holder verification | What evidence links the applicant to the identity? | Does every part of the document meet authenticity requirements? |
NIST separates validation of identity evidence from verification of the applicant's connection to that evidence. A scanner's readable output should not collapse those steps into a single authenticity claim. NIST SP 800-63A-4: identity proofing
A checksum is a consistency signal
A check digit tests a defined arithmetic relationship. It has too few possible results to establish provenance. Our checksum field note demonstrates this with a reproducible collision: different field strings can produce the same digit. A matching digit does not mean an ID scanner has detected every possible alteration.
Inspect the collision dataset
Read the exact cases and what their results prove.
Explore resourceInspect one field's arithmetic
A single-field demonstration, not a full MRZ or barcode verifier.
Explore resourceQuestions for a product demonstration
- Which checks operate on the image, and which require another source of evidence?
- What does the result mean when a field cannot be read? Is uncertainty visible?
- Which document editions and capture conditions were included in the reported evaluation?
- Does an extraction failure have a different status from a suspected authenticity issue?
- Who can review an uncertain result, and what evidence can that reviewer inspect?
- What personal information leaves the device, and how long is it retained?
Use test data for the part it can test
A marked fictional record can exercise required-field errors or expiry handling. An abstract OCR sheet can test extraction and reading order. Neither is a benchmark for an ID scanner's ability to authenticate genuine government documents. For that evaluation, use an authorized process with appropriate evidence, consent and a documented methodology.