Tune Web services security for Version 5.x applications

The Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) is integrated into the software development kit (SDK) version 1.4.x and is no longer an optional package. However, due to export and import regulations, the default Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) jurisdiction policy file shipped with the SDK enables you to use strong, but limited, cryptography only. To enforce this default policy, WebSphere Application Server uses a JCE jurisdiction policy file that might introduce a performance impact. The default JCE jurisdiction policy might have a performance impact on the cryptographic functions that are supported by Web services security. If you have Web services applications that use transport level security for XML encryption or digital signatures, you might encounter performance degradation over previous releases of WebSphere Application Server. However, IBM and Sun Microsystems provide versions of these jurisdiction policy files that do not have restrictions on cryptographic strengths. If you are permitted by your governmental import and export regulations, download one of these jurisdiction policy files. After downloading one of these files, the performance of JCE and Web Services security might improve.

For WebSphere Application Server for OS/400 and the IBM Java Developer Kit Version 1.4, no tuning of Web services security is required. The unrestricted jurisdiction policy files for the IBM Java Developer Kit 1.4 are automatically configured when the WebSphere Application Server for OS/400 prerequisite software products are installed.

Related tasks

Searchable topic ID: twbs_tunewss