Set the consumer security tokens using the WSS API

We can secure the SOAP messages, without using policy sets, by using the WS-Security APIs. To configure the token on the consumer side, use the WS-Security APIs (WSS API). The consumer security tokens are part of the com.ibm.websphere.wssecurity.wssapi.token interface package.

The pluggable token framework in WAS has been redesigned so that the same framework from the WSS API can be reused. The same implementation of creating and validating security token can be used both for the Web Service Security run time and for the WSS API application code. The redesigned framework also simplifies the SPI model and will make it easier to add security token types.

Use the WSS API or we can configure the tokens by using the admin console. To configure tokens, have completed the following token task: configure the generator tokens, as needed.

On the generator side, the JAAS CallbackHandler and JAAS LoginModule are responsible for creating the security token. The token is created by using the JAAS LoginModule and by using JAAS CallbackHandler to pass authentication data. Then, the JAAS LoginModule creates the securityToken object, such as the UsernameToken, and passes it to the Web Service Security run time.

On the consumer side, the XML format is passed to the JAAS LoginModule for validation or authentication. then the JAAS CallbackHandler is used to pass authentication data from the Web Service Security run time to the LoginModule. After the token is authenticated and a security token object is created, then the token is passed it to the Web Service Security run time.

When using the WSS API for consumer token validation, certain default behaviors occur. The simplest way to use the WSS API is to use the default JAAS login module and callback handler. The example uses the default for them so the example does not specify the JAAS login module name.

The simplest way to use the WSS API is to use the default behavior (see the example code). The WSS API provide defaults for the token type, the token value, and the JAAS configuration name. The default token behaviors include:

Table 1. Default token behaviors

Consumer token decisions	Default behavior
Which token type to use	The token type specifies which type of token to use for signing and validating messages. The X.509 token is the default token type. WAS provides the following pre-configured consumer token types: Security context token Derived key token X509 tokens We can also create custom token types, as needed.
What JAAS login configuration name to specify	The JAAS login configuration name specifies which JAAS login configuration name to use.
Which configuration type to use	The JAAS login module configuration type. Only the pre-configured consumer configuration types can be used for consumer token types.

The SecurityToken class (com.ibm.websphere.wssecurity.wssapi.token.SecurityToken) is the generic token class and represents the security token that has methods to get the identity, XML format, and cryptographic keys. Using the SecurityToken class, we can apply both the signature and encryption to the SOAP message. However, to apply both, have two SecurityToken objects, one for the signature and one for encryption, respectively.

The following token types are subclasses of the generic security token class:

Table 2. Subclasses of the SecurityToken

Token type	JAAS login configuration name
Security context token	system.wss.consume.sct
Derived key token	system.wss.consume.dkt

The following token types are subclasses of the binary security token class:

Table 3. Subclasses to the BinarySecurityToken

Token type	JAAS login configuration name
X.509 token	system.wss.consume.x509
X.509 PKI Path token	system.wss.consume.pkiPath
X.509 PKCS7 token	system.wss.consume.pkcs7

Notes:

• For each JAAS login token consumer configuration name, there is a respective token generator configuration name. For example, for the X509Token, the respective token generator configuration name is system.wss.generate.x509.

• The LTPA and LTPA propagation tokens are only available to a requester that is running as a server-based client. The LTPA and LTPA propagation tokens are not supported for the Java SE 6 or Java EE application client.

To validate the X509Token to the SOAP message on the consumer side, the <X509Token> element must be in the <wsse:Security> element.

 

1. To validate the securityToken package, com.ibm.websphere.wssecurity.wssapi.token, first verify the appserver is installed.

2. If using the default values, configures the tokens for the WS-Security token consumer process. , for each token type, the process is similar to the following token consumer process:

   1. Uses WSSFactory.getInstance() to get the WSS API implementation instance.

   2. Creates the WSSConsumingContext instance from the WSSFactory instance. Note that the WSSConsumingContext must always be called in a JAX-WS client application.

   3. Creates a JAAS CallbackHandler with information that is required to validate the security token. Review the token class information for which parameters are required or optional. For example, for an X.509 token, you could configure the following:

      
      

      Table 4. X.509 token options

      keyStoreRef	Refrence name of the keystore that is stored in the cryptographic card. It can be specified when the card is set to the hardware.
      keyStorePath	Path of the keystore file. It is not necessary to specify the keyStorePath if the keyStoreRef is set.
      keyStorePassword	of the keystore file.
      keyStoreType	Type of keystore file.
      alias	Alias of the key.
      keyPassword	of the key.
      keyName	Subject name of the key.

   4. Sets the callback handler into WSSDecryption, WSSVerification, or WSSConsumingContext.

   5. If the callback handler is set into the WSSDecryption or WSSVerification, adds either one into WSSConsumingContext.

   6. Calls WSSConsumingContext.process().

3. If using other than the default values, configures the tokens for the WS-Security token consumer process.

   For each token type, the process is similar to the following token consumer process:

   1. If we do not use the default JAAS login module and callback handler, we need to prepare a custom one and register the name of JAAS login configuration using the admin console in advance.

   2. Uses WSSFactory.getInstance() to get the WSS API implementation instance.

   3. Creates the WSSConsumingContext instance from the WSSFactory instance. Note that the WSSConsumingContext must always be called in a JAX-WS client application.

   4. Creates a callback handler with information that is required to validate the security token. Review the token class information for which parameters are required or optional. For example, for a X.509 token, we can configure the following:

      
      

      Table 5. X.509 token options

      keyStoreRef	Reference name of the keystore that is stored in the cryptographic card. It can be specified when the card is set to the hardware.
      keyStorePath	Path of the keystore file. It is not necessary to specify the keyStorePath if the keyStoreRef is set.
      keyStorePassword	of the keystore file.
      keyStoreType	Type of keystore file.
      alias	Alias of the key.
      keyPassword	of the key.
      keyName	Subject name of the key.

   5. Sets JAAS configuration name and callback handler into WSSDecryption or WSSVerification, or WSSConsumingContext.

   6. If JAAS configuration name and callback handler are set into the WSSDecryption or WSSVerification, adds either one into WSSConsumingContext.

   7. Calls WSSConsumingContext.process().

 

Results

If there is an error condition, a WSSException is provided. If successful, the WSSConsumingContext.process() is called, and the security token on the consumer side is validated (authenticated).

 

Example

The following sample code provides the WSS API example code for decryption using the default JAAS login module and callback handler:

// Get the message context 
   Object msgcontext = getMessageContext();


// Generate the WSSFactory instance (step: a)
   WSSFactory factory = WSSFactory.getInstance();    


// Generate the WSSConsumingContext instance (step: b)
   WSSConsumingContext gencont = factory.newWSSConsumingContext();


// Generate the callback handler (step: c)
   X509ConsumeCallbackHandler callbackHandler = new 
        X509ConsumeCallbackHandler(
                                   "",                                    "enc-sender.jceks",                                    "jceks", 
                                   "storepass".toCharArray(), 
                                   "alice", 
                                   "keypass".toCharArray(), 
                                   "CN=Alice, O=IBM, C=US");


// Generate the WSSDecryption instance (step: d)
   WSSDecryption dec = factory.newWSSDecryption(X509Token.class, 
                                                callbackHandler);



// Add WSSDecryption to WSSConsumingContext (step: e)
   concont.add(dec);


// Validate the WS-Security header (step: f) concont.process(msgcontext);

 

Next steps

For each token type, configure the token using the WSS APIs or using the admin console. Next, specify the similar generator tokens if we have not done so.

If both the generator and consumer tokens are configured, continue securing SOAP messages at the response consumer using the WSS APIs or configure the tokens using the admin console.

If both the generator and consumer tokens are configured, continue securing SOAP messages either by verifying the signature or by decrypting the message, as needed. Use either the WSS APIs or the admin console to secure the SOAP messages.

 

Related concepts

Security token
Username token
Derived key token
Security context token

 

Related tasks

Secure messages at the response consumer using WSS APIs
Validating the consumer token to protect message authenticity

 

Related

Protection token settings (generator or consumer)
Callback handler settings