Configure the client for signature authentication: specifying the method

Signature authentication, the use of an X.509 certificate to login on the target server, can be configured.

Important: There is an important distinction between Version 5.x and Version 6 and later applications. The information supports Version 5.x applications only used with WAS v6.0.x and later. The information does not apply to Version 6.0.x and later applications.

This task is used to configure signature authentication. A signature refers to the use of an X.509 certificate to login on the target server. For more information on signature authentication, see Signature authentication method.

Specify signature as the authentication method:

1. Launch an assembly tool. For more information, read about assembly tools.

2. Switch to the Java EE perspective. Click Window > Open Perspective > J2EE.

3. Click Application Client Projects > application_name > appClientModule > META-INF .

4. Right-click the application-client.xml file, select Open with > Deployment descriptor editor.

5. Click the WS Extension tab, which is located at the bottom of the deployment descriptor editor within the assembly tool.

6. Expand the Request sender configuration > Login configuration section. The following login configuration options are valid for a managed client and Web services acting as a client are:

   BasicAuth

   Use this option for a managed client.

   Signature

   Use this option for a managed client.

   IDAssertion

   Use this option for web services acting as a client.

7. Select Signature to authenticate the client using the certificate used to digitally sign the request.

Results

For more information on getting started with the web services client editor within the assembly tool, see Configure the client security bindings using an assembly tool.

After specified signature as the authentication method, specify how to collect the authentication information. See Configure the client for signature authentication: collecting the authentication information for more information.

Subtopics

• Signature authentication method
  Signature authentication refers to an X.509 certificate that is sent by the client to the server. The certificate is used to authenticate to the user registry configured at the server. When using the signature authentication method, the security token is generated with a ds:Signature and a wsse:BinarySecurityToken element.

Related concepts

Development and assembly tools

Related tasks

Configure the client for signature authentication: collecting the authentication information

Configure the client security bindings using an assembly tool