ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014 specifies data interchange formats for signature/sign behavioural data captured in the form of a multi-dimensional time series using devices such as digitizing tablets or advanced pen systems. The data interchange formats are generic, in that they may be applied and used in a wide range of application areas where handwritten signs or signatures are involved. No application-specific requirements or features are addressed in ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014.

ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014 contains

1. a description of what data may be captured,
2. three data formats for containing the data:
1. a full format for general use,
2. a compression format capable of holding the same amount of information as the full format but in compressed form, and
3. a compact format for use with smart cards and other tokens that does not require compression/decompression but conveys less information than the full format, and
3. examples of data record contents and best practices in capture.

Specifying which of the format types and which options defined in ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014 are to be applied in a particular application is out of scope; this needs to be defined in application-specific requirements specifications or application profiles.

It is advisable that cryptographic techniques be used to protect the authenticity, integrity, and confidentiality of stored and transmitted biometric data; yet such provisions are beyond the scope of ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014.

ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014 also specifies elements of conformance testing methodology, test assertions, and test procedures as applicable to ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014. It establishes test assertions on the structure and internal consistency of the signature/sign time series data formats defined in ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014 (type A level 1 and 2 as defined in ISO/IEC 19794 1:2011/Amd.1), and semantic test assertions (type A level 3 as defined in ISO/IEC 19794 1:2011/Amd.1).

The conformance testing methodology specified in ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014 does not establish:

• tests of other characteristics of biometric products or other types of testing of biometric products (e.g. acceptance, performance, robustness, security),
• tests of conformance of systems that do not produce data records claimed to conform to the requirements of ISO/IEC 19794-7:2014.