Set the client for request encryption: choosing the encryption method
To configure the client for request encryption, specify which encryption method to use when configuring the client.
There is an important distinction between V 5.x and V6 and later applications. The information in this article supports V5.x applications only that are used with WAS V6.0.x and later. The information does not apply to V 6.0.x and later applications. Prior to completing these steps, read either of the following topics to familiarize theself with the WS Extensions tab and the WS Binding tab in the Client Deployment Descriptor editor within an assembly tool:
- Set the client security bindings using an assembly tool
- Set the security bindings on a server acting as a client
These two tabs are used to configure the WS-Security extensions and WS-Security bindings, respectively.
Complete the following steps to specify which encryption method to use when configuring the client for request encryption:
- Launch an assembly tool.
See the related information on Assembly Tools.
- Switch to the Java EE perspective. Click Window > Open Perspective > J2EE.
- Click Application Client Projects > application_name > appClientModule > META-INF.
- Right-click the application-client.xml file, select Open with > Deployment descriptor editor.
- Click the WS binding tab, which is located at the bottom of the Client Deployment Descriptor editor within the assembly tool.
- Expand Security request sender binding configuration > Encryption information.
- Select an encryption option and click Edit to view the encryption information or click Add to add another option.
The following table describes the purpose of this information. Some of these definitions are based on the XML-Encryption specification, which is located at the following Web address: http://www.w3.org/TR/xmlenc-core
- Encryption name
- Refers to the name of the encryption information entry.
- Data encryption method algorithm
- Encrypts and decrypts data in fixed size, multiple octet blocks.
- Key encryption method algorithm
- Represents public key encryption algorithms specified for encrypting and decrypting keys.
- Encryption key name
- Represents a Subject (Owner field of the certificate) from a public key certificate found by the encryption key locator, which is used by the key encryption method algorithm to encrypt the private key. The private key is used to encrypt the data.
The key chosen must be a public key of the target. Encryption must be done using the public key and decryption must be done by the target using the private key (the personal certificate of the target).
- Encryption key locator
- Represents a reference to a key locator implementation class that locates the correct key store where the alias and the certificate exist. For more information on configuring key locators, see Set key locators using an assembly tool and Set key locators .
- Select Show only FIPS Compliant Algorithms if we only want the FIPS compliant algorithms to be shown in the Data Encryption method algorithm and Key Encryption method algorithm dropdown lists. Use this option if we expect this application to be run on a WAS that has set the Use the United States FIPS algorithms option in the SSL certificate and key management panel of the WebSphere admin console.
Results
See Set key locators using an assembly tool and Set key locators .
Next steps
Specify which parts of the request message to encrypt. See Set the client for request encryption: Encrypting the message parts if we have not previously specified this information.
Related concepts
Assembly tools
Request sender
XML encryption
Related tasks
Set key locators using an assembly tool
Set key locators
Set the client for request encryption: Encrypting the message parts
Secure Web services for V5.x applications using XML encryption
Related information
XML Encryption Syntax and Processing W3C Recommendation 10 December 2002