Secure transports with JSSE and JCE programming interfaces
We can learn more detailed information about transport security using JSSE and Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) programming interfaces. Within this topic, there is a description of the IBM version of the Java Cryptography Extension Federal Information Processing Standard (IBMJCEFIPS).
Java Secure Socket Extension
JSSE provides the transport security for WebSphere Application Server. JSSE provides the API framework and the implementation of the APIs for SSL and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols, including functionality for data encryption, message integrity, and authentication.
JSSE APIs are integrated into the Java 2 SDK, Standard Edition (J2SDK), v5. The API package for JSSE APIs is javax.net.ssl.*. Documentation for using JSSE APIs can be found in the J2SE 6 API documentation located at http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/technotes/guides/security/jsse/JSSERefGuide.html.
Several JSSE providers ship with the Java 2 SDK Version 5 that comes with WAS. The IBMJSSE provider is used in previous WAS releases.
For more information on the new IBMJSSE2 provider, please review the documentation located at http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/security/60/.
Customize Java Secure Socket Extension
We can customize a number of aspects of JSSE by plugging in different implementations of Cryptography Package Provider, X509Certificate and HTTPS protocols, or specifying different default keystore files, key manager factories, and trust manager factories. The following table summarizes which aspects can be customized, what the defaults are, and which mechanisms are used to provide customization.
Customizable item Default How to customize X509Certificate X509Certificate implementation from IBM The cert.provider.x509v1 security property HTTPS protocol Implementation from IBM The java.protocol.handler.pkgs system property Cryptography Package Provider IBMJSSE2 A security.provider.n= line in security properties file. See description. Default keystore None The * javax.net.ssl.keyStore system property Default truststore jssecacerts, if it exists. Otherwise, cacerts The * javax.net.ssl.trustStore system property Default key manager factory IbmX509 The ssl.KeyManagerFactory.algorithm security property Default trust manager factory IbmX509 The ssl.TrustManagerFactory.algorithm security property For aspects that we can customize by setting a system property, statically set the system property using the -D option of the Java command. We can set the system property using the administrative console, or set the system property dynamically by calling the java.lang.System.setProperty method in your code: System.setProperty(propertyName,"propertyValue").
For aspects that we can customize by setting a Java security property, statically specify a security property value in the java.security properties file. The security property is propertyName=propertyValue. Dynamically set the Java security property by calling the java.security.Security.setProperty method in your code.
The java.security properties file is located in the following directory:
app_server_root/java/jre/lib/security directory.
(ZOS) app_server_root/properties directory.
(iSeries) profile_root/properties directory.
Application Programming Interface
The JSSE provides a standard API that is available in packages of the javax.net file, javax.net.ssl file, and the javax.security.cert file. The APIs cover:
- Sockets and SSL sockets
- Factories to create the sockets and SSL sockets
- Secure socket context that acts as a factory for secure socket factories
- Key and trust manager interfaces
- Secure HTTP URL connection classes
- Public key certificate API
We can find more information documented for the JSSE APIs if we access the following information:
- Version 1.6
- Access the http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/security/ website.
- Click Java 1.6.
- Click Javadoc HTML documentation in the JSSE Guide section.
Samples using Java Secure Socket Extension
The JSSE also provides samples to demonstrate its functionality. The JSSE also provides samples to demonstrate its functionality. We can access the samples in the following location:
- Version 1.6
- Access the http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/security/ website.
- Click Java 1.6.
- Click jssedocs_samples.zip in the JSSE Guide section.
See more instructions in the source code. Follow these instructions before running the samples.
Files Description ClientJsse.java Demonstrates a simple client and server interaction using JSSE. All enabled cipher suites are used. OldServerJsse.java Back-level samples ServerPKCS12Jsse.java Demonstrates a simple client and server interaction using JSSE with the PKCS12 keystore file. All enabled cipher suites are used. ClientPKCS12Jsse.java Demonstrates a simple client and server interaction using JSSE with the PKCS12 keystore file. All enabled cipher suites are used. UseHttps.java Demonstrates accessing an SSL or non-SSL web server using the Java protocol handler of the com.ibm.net.ssl.www.protocol class. The URL is specified with the http or https prefix. The HTML that is returned from this site is displayed.
Permissions for Java 2 security
We might need the following permissions to run an application with JSSE: This list is for reference only.
- java.util.PropertyPermission "java.protocol.handler.pkgs", "write"
- java.lang.RuntimePermission "writeFileDescriptor"
- java.lang.RuntimePermission "readFileDescriptor"
- java.lang.RuntimePermission "accessClassInPackage.sun.security.x509"
- java.io.FilePermission "${user.install.root}${/}etc${/}.keystore", "read"
- java.io.FilePermission "${user.install.root}${/}etc${/}.truststore", "read"
For the IBMJSSE provider:
- java.security.SecurityPermission "putProviderProperty.IBMJSSE"
- java.security.SecurityPermission "insertProvider.IBMJSSE"
For the SUNJSSE provider:
- java.security.SecurityPermission "putProviderProperty.SunJSSE"
- java.security.SecurityPermission "insertProvider.SunJSSE"
Debugging
By configuring through the javax.net.debug system property, JSSE provides the following dynamic debug tracing: -Djavax.net.debug=true.
A value of true turns on the trace facility, provided that the debug version of JSSE is installed.
(ZOS) A value of true turns on the trace facility. Use the administrative console to set the system property for debugging the application server.
Documentation
See the Security: Resources for learning topic for documentation references to JSSE.
JCE
Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) provides cryptographic, key and hash algorithms for WAS. JCE provides a framework and implementations for encryption, key generation, key agreement, and Message Authentication Code (MAC) algorithms. Support for encryption includes symmetric, asymmetric, block and stream ciphers.
IBMJCE
The IBM version of the Java Cryptography Extension (IBMJCE) is an implementation of the JCE cryptographic service provider used in WAS. The IBMJCE is similar to SunJCE, except that the IBMJCE offers more algorithms:
- Cipher algorithm (AES, DES, TripleDES, PBEs, Blowfish, and so on)
- Signature algorithm (SHA1withRSA, MD5withRSA, SHA1withDSA)
- Message digest algorithm (MD5, MD2, SHA1, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512)
- Message authentication code (HmacSHA1, HmacMD5)
- Key agreement algorithm (DiffieHellman)
- Random number generation algorithm (IBMSecureRandom, SHA1PRNG)
- Key store (JKS, JCEKS, PKCS12, JCERACFKS [z/OS only])
The IBMJCE belongs to the com.ibm.crypto.provider.* packages.
For further information, see the information on JCE on the following website: http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/security/60/.
IBMJCEFIPS
The IBM version of the Java Cryptography Extension Federal Information Processing Standard (IBMJCEFIPS) is an implementation of the JCE cryptographic service provider used in WAS. The IBMJCEFIPS service provider implements the following:
- Signature algorithms (SHA1withDSA, SHA1withRSA)
- Cipher algorithms (AES, TripleDES, RSA)
- Key agreement algorithm (DiffieHellman)
- Key (pair) generator (DSA, AES, TripleDES, HmacSHA1, RSA, DiffieHellman)
- Message authentication code (MAC) (HmacSHA1)
- Message digest (MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256, SHA-384, SHA-512)
- Algorithm parameter generator (DiffieHellman, DSA)
- Algorithm parameter (AES, DiffieHellman, DES, TripleDES, DSA)
- Key factory (DiffieHellman, DSA, RSA)
- Secret key factory (AES, TripleDES)
- Certificate (X.509)
- Secure random (IBMSecureRandom)
Application Programming Interface
Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) has a provider-based architecture. Providers can be plugged into the JCE framework by implementing the APIs defined by the JCE. The JCE APIs cover:
- Symmetric bulk encryption, such as DES, RC2, and IDEA
- Symmetric stream encryption, such as RC4
- Asymmetric encryption, such as RSA
- Password-based encryption (PBE)
- Key agreement
- Message authentication codes
There is more information documented for the JCE APIs on the http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/security/ website.
Samples using Java Cryptography Extension
There are samples located on the http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/security/ website in the jceDocs_samples.zip file. Unzip the file and locate the following samples in the jceDocs/samples directory:
File Description SampleDSASignature.java Demonstrates how to generate a pair of DSA keys (a public key and a private key) and use the key to digitally sign a message using the SHA1withDSA algorithm SampleMarsCrypto.java Demonstrates how to generate a ars secret key, and how to do Mars encryption and decryption SampleMessageDigests.java Demonstrates how to use the message digest for MD2 and MD5 algorithms SampleRSACrypto.java Demonstrates how to generate an RSA key pair, and how to do RSA encryption and decryption SampleRSASignatures.java Demonstrates how to generate a pair of RSA keys (a public key and a private key) and use the key to digitally sign a message using the SHA1withRSA algorithm SampleX509Verification.java Demonstrates how to verify X509 certificates
Documentation
Refer to the Security: Resources for learning topic for documentation on JCE.
Developing extensions to the WebSphere security infrastructure Security: Resources for learning