WAS v8.5 > Secure applications > Secure web services > Secure web services > Web Services Security concepts > Web Services Security concepts for v5.x applications
Propagating security tokens
In this example, security tokens are propagated using Web Services Security, the security infrastructure of the WebSphere Application Server, and Java EE security.
There is an important distinction between v5.x and v6 and later applications. The information in this article supports v5.x applications only used with WAS v6.0.x and later. The information does not apply to v6.0.x and later applications.
An example scenario
In this example, Client 1 invokes Web Services 1. Then Web Services 1 calls the EJB file 2. The EJB file 2 calls Web Services 3 and Web Services 3 calls Web Services 4.
Figure 1. Propagating security tokens
The previous figure shows security tokens propagated using Web Services Security, the security infrastructure of the WAS, and Java EE security. Web Services 1 is configured to accept <wsse:UsernameToken> only and use the BasicAuth authentication method. However, Web Services 4 is configured to accept either <wsse:UsernameToken> using the BasicAuth authentication method or Lightweight Third Party Authentication (LTPA) as <wsse:BinarySecurityToken>. The following steps describe the scenario shown in the previous figure:
- Client 1 sends a SOAP message to Web Services 1 with user1 and password in the <wsse:UsernameToken> element.
- The user1 and password values are authenticated by the Web Services Security run time and set in the current security context as the JAAS Subject.
- Web Services 1 invokes EJB file 2 using the Remote Method Invocation over the Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (RMI/IIOP) protocol.
- The user1 identity is propagated to the downstream call.
- The EJB container of EJB file 2 performs an authorization check against user1.
- EJB file 2 calls Web Services 3 and Web Services 3 is configured to accept LTPA tokens.
- The RunAs role of EJB file 2 is set to user2.
- The LTPA CallbackHandler implementation extracts the LTPA token from the current JAAS Subject in the security context and Web Services Security run time inserts the token as <wsse: BinarySecurityToken> in the SOAP header.
- The Web Services Security run time in Web Services 3 calls the JAAS login configuration to validate the LTPA token and set it in the current security context as the JAAS Subject.
- Web Services 3 is configured to send LTPA security to web services 4. In this case, assume the RunAs role is not configured for Web Services 3. The LTPA token of user2 is propagated to Web Services 4.
- Client 2 uses the <wsse:UsernameToken> element to propagate the basic authentication data to Web Services 4.
Web Services Security complements the WAS security run time and the Java EE role-based security. This example demonstrates how to propagate security tokens across multiple resources such as web services and EJB files.
Related concepts:
Secure web services
Web Services Security specification—a chronology
Web Services Security and Java Platform, Enterprise Edition security relationship
Web Services Security model in WAS
Security token
Web Services Security constraints
Related
Configure the client for LTPA token authentication: specifying LTPA token authentication
Configure the client for LTPA token authentication: collecting the authentication method information
Configure the server to handle LTPA token authentication information
Configure the server to validate LTPA token authentication information
Configure the client security bindings using an assembly tool
Configure the security bindings on a server acting as a client
Configure pluggable tokens using an assembly tool
Configure pluggable tokens
Reference:
Web Services Security support