WAS v8.5 > Secure applications > Secure web services > Secure web services > Web Services Security concepts > Web Services Security concepts > Web Services Security provides message integrity, confidentiality, and authentication > High-level architecture for Web Services Security > Overview of platform configuration and bindings

Hardware cryptographic device support for Web Services Security

In IBM WebSphere Application Server v6.1 or later, Web Services Security supports the use of cryptographic hardware devices. There are two ways in which to use hardware cryptographic devices with Web Services Security.

Enable cryptographic operations on hardware devices

We can enable cryptographic operations on hardware devices. The keys used can be stored in a Java keystore file; it is not necessary to store them on the hardware device. The decision to use enable cryptographic operations on hardware devices is made at the server level only, not at the application level.

If cryptographic operations on hardware device is enabled, the Web Service Security run time first attempts to use the hardware device for cryptographic operations. If the attempt to use the hardware device fails or if the algorithm is not supported by the hardware device, the run time uses a software provider from the security providers list.

Enabling this feature might improve the performance, depending on the hardware device. For more information on how to enable cryptographic operations on hardware devices, see Configure hardware cryptographic devices for Web Services Security.

Secure keys

Cryptographic keys can be stored on the hardware cryptographic device and never leave the device. These secure keys are confined to the hardware cryptographic device for security considerations rather than performance considerations. The option to select whether to use keys stored in a hardware cryptographic device or a Java keystore file can be made at the application level.

If the keystore reference is specified to be a hardware device configuration, the Web Services Security run time first attempts to obtain the cryptographic algorithm from the hardware device. If the algorithm is not supported or fails, the run time uses a software provider from the security providers list.

See further information about how to enable secure keys, see Enable cryptographic keys stored in hardware devices in Web Services Security.

Limitations

The hardware cryptographic device support for Web Services Security currently has the following limitations:

• There is no support for a web services client running as a Java EE Application Client.
• There is no support for hardware cryptographic devices on iSeries .

• Only v6.1 and later, Web Services Security applications can take advantage of the hardware cryptographic support.

  Versions 5.x and 6.0.x Web Services Security applications can run in a v6.1 WAS, but these versions cannot take advantage of the hardware cryptographic support.

Long-term usage of session keys

We can configure WAS to use the hardware keystore, or we can configure the hardware acceleration card to allow the long-term usage of session keys. Session keys might be insecure.

If you are concerned about insecure session keys, configure WAS to use the hardware keystore. See the information about how to enable cryptographic keys stored in hardware devices in Web Services Security.

To configure the hardware acceleration card to allow the long-term usage of session keys, see the manufacturer's documentation for the specific hardware acceleration card. For example:

1. For the nCipher nforce 1600 server v2.23.6, follow the nCipher documentation instructions.
2. We can set the CKNFAST_SECURITY_ASSURANCES_OVERRIDE=longterm parameter in the cknfastrc configuration file. This configuration change eliminates the time limit associated with session keys.
3. Follow the documentation for Cipher to restart the nCipher server.

4. Restart WAS.

Related

Enable hardware cryptographic devices for Web Services Security
Configure hardware cryptographic devices for Web Services Security
Enable cryptographic keys stored in hardware devices in Web Services Security

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