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Secure web services for Version 5.x applications using XML digital signature

XML digital signature is one of the methods WebSphere Application Server provides to secure the web services. It provides message integrity and authentication capabilities when used with SOAP messages.

Important: There is an important distinction between Version 5.x and Version 6.0.x 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.

WebSphere Application Server provides several different methods to secure the web services; XML digital signature is one of these methods. We can secure the web services by using any of the following methods:

XML digital signature provides both message integrity and authentication capabilities when it is used with SOAP messages. A message receiver can verify that attackers or accidents have not altered parts of the message after the message was signed by a key. If a message has a digital certificate issued by a certificate authority (CA) and a signature in the message is validated successfully by a public key in the certificate, it is proof that the signer has the corresponding private key. To use XML digital signature to secure web services...

  1. Define the security constraints or extensions. To configure the security constraints, use an assembly tool. For more information, see the related information on Assembly Tools.

    1. Configure the client to digitally sign a message request. To configure the client...to specify which parts of the SOAP message to digitally sign and define the method used to digitally sign the message. The client in these steps is the request sender.

      1. Specify the message parts by following the steps found in Configure the client for request signing: digitally signing message parts.

      2. Select the method used to digitally sign the request message. We can select the digital signature method by following the steps in Configure the client for request signing: choosing the digital signature method.

    2. Configure the server to verify the digital signature used in the message request. To configure the server, specify which parts of the SOAP message, sent by the request sender, contain digitally signed information and which method was used to digitally sign the message. The settings chosen for the request receiver, or the server in this step, must match the settings chosen for the request sender in the previous step.

      1. Define the message parts by following the steps found in Configure the server for request digital signature verification: Verify the message parts.

      2. Select the same method used by the request sender to digitally sign the message. We can select the digital signature method by following the steps in Configure the server for request digital signature verification: choosing the verification method

    3. Configure the server to digitally sign a message response. To configure the server...to specify which parts of the SOAP message to digitally sign and define the method used to digitally sign the message. The sender in these steps is the response sender.

      1. Specify which message parts to digitally sign by following the steps found in Configure the server for response signing: digitally signing message parts.

      2. Select the method used to digitally sign the response message. We can select the digital signature method by following the steps in Configure the server for response signing: choosing the digital signature method

    4. Configure the client to verify the digital signature used in the message response. To configure the client, specify which parts of the SOAP message sent by the response sender contain digitally signed information and which method was used to digitally sign the message. The settings chosen for the response receiver, or client in this step, must match the settings chosen for the response sender in the previous step.

      1. Define the message parts by following the steps found in Configure the client for response digital signature verification: verifying the message parts

      2. Select the same method used by the response sender to digitally sign the message. We can select the digital signature method by following the steps in Configure the client for response digital signature verification: choosing the verification method

  2. Define the client security bindings. To configure the client security bindings, complete the steps in either of the following topics:

  3. Define the server security bindings. To configure the server security bindings, complete the steps in either of the following topics:


Results

After completing these steps, we have secured the web services using XML digital signature.


Related concepts

  • Secure web services
  • Overview of token types
  • Default binding
  • Trust anchors
  • Collection certificate store
  • Key locator
  • Keys
  • Trusted ID evaluator
  • Login mappings
  • Development and assembly tools


    Related tasks

  • Configure nonce using Web Services Security tokens
  • Configure trust anchors using an assembly tool
  • Configure trust anchors using the administrative console
  • Configure the client-side collection certificate store using an assembly tool
  • Configure the client-side collection certificate store using the administrative console
  • Configure the server-side collection certificate store using an assembly tool
  • Configure the server-side collection certificate store using the administrative console
  • Configure default collection certificate stores at the server level in the WAS administrative console

    (dist)(zos) Configure default collection certificate stores at the cell level in the WAS administrative console

  • Web Services Security service provider programming interfaces
  • Configure key locators using an assembly tool
  • Configure key locators using the administrative console

    (dist)(zos) Configure server and cell level key locators using the administrative console

  • Configure the client for request signing: digitally signing message parts
  • Configure the client for request signing: choosing the digital signature method
  • Configure the server for request digital signature verification: Verify the message parts
  • Configure the server for request digital signature verification: choosing the verification method
  • Configure the server for response signing: digitally signing message parts
  • Configure the server for response signing: choosing the digital signature method
  • Configure the client for response digital signature verification: verifying the message parts
  • Configure the client for response digital signature verification: choosing the verification method
  • Configure the client security bindings using an assembly tool
  • Configure the security bindings on a server acting as a client using the administrative console
  • Configure the server security bindings using an assembly tool
  • Configure the server security bindings using the administrative console

    (dist)(zos) ws-security.xml file - Default configuration for WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment