WAS v8.5 > Develop applications > Develop web services - Security (WS-Security) > Configure Web Services Security during application assembly > Configure XML digital signature for v5.x web services with an assembly tool

Configure the server for response signing: choosing the digital signature method

Use an assembly tool to specify which digital signature method to use when configuring the server for response signing.

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 WebSphere Application Server v6.0.x and later. The information does not apply to v6.0.x and later applications.

Prior to completing these steps, read either of the following topics to become familiar with the Extensions tab and the Binding configurations tab in the web services editor within the IBM assembly tools:

These two tabs are used to configure the Web Services Security extensions and the Web Services Security bindings, respectively.

To specify which digital signature method to use when configuring the server for response signing:

  1. Launch an assembly tool. For more information, see the related information on Assembly Tools.
  2. Switch to the Java EE perspective. Click Window > Open Perspective > J2EE.

  3. Click EJB Projects > application _name > ejbModule > META-INF.
  4. Right-click the webservices.xml file and click Open with > Web services editor.

  5. Click the Binding Configurations tab.

  6. Expand Response sender binding configuration details > Signing information.

  7. Click Edit to choose a signing method. The signing info dialog is displayed and either select or enter the following information:

    • Canonicalization method algorithm
    • Digest method algorithm
    • Signature method algorithm
    • Signing key name
    • Signing key locator

    The following table describes the purpose of this information. Some of these definitions are based on the XML-Signature specification, located at the following address: http://www.w3.org/TR/xmldsig-core.

    Digital signature methods. Use the methods to configure the server for response signing.

    Name Purpose
    Canonicalization method algorithm Canonicalizes the <SignedInfo> element before the information is digested as part of the signature operation. Use the same algorithm on the client response receiver. The algorithm selected for the server response sender configuration must match the algorithm selected in the client response receiver configuration.
    Digest method algorithm Applies to the data after transforms are applied, if specified, to yield the <DigestValue> element. Signing the <DigestValue> element binds resource content to the signer key. The algorithm selected for the server response sender configuration must match the algorithm selected in the client response receiver configuration.
    Signature method algorithm Converts the canonicalized <SignedInfo> element into the <SignatureValue> element. The algorithm selected for the server response sender configuration must match the algorithm selected in the client response receiver configuration.
    Signing key name Represents the key entry associated with the signing key locator. The key entry refers to an alias of the key, which is found in the key store and is used to sign the request.
    Signing key locator Represents a reference to a key locator implementation class that locates the correct key store where the alias and certificate exists. For more information on configuring key locators, see any of the following files:For more information on configuring key locators, see the following file:

  8. Optional: Select Show only FIPS Compliant Algorithms if you only want the FIPS compliant algorithms to be shown in the Signature method algorithm and Digest method algorithm dropdown lists. Use this option if you expect this application to be run on a WAS that has set the Use the United States Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) algorithms option in the SSL certificate and key management panel of the dmgr console for WAS.


Results

You have specified which method is used to digitally sign a message when the server sends a message to a client.

After you configure the server to digitally sign the response message, configure the client to verify the digital signature contained in the response message. See Configure the client for response digital signature verification: verifying the message parts for more information.


Related concepts:

Response sender
Response receiver
XML digital signature
Development and assembly tools


Related


Configure key locators using an assembly tool
Configure key locators
Configure the server for response signing: digitally signing message parts
Configure the server security bindings using an assembly tool
Configure the server security bindings


Related information:

http://www.w3.org/TR/xmldsig-core.html


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