Interoperating with a C++ common object request broker architecture client

WebSphere® Application Server supports security in the CORBA C++ client to access-protected enterprise beans. If configured, C++ CORBA clients can access protected enterprise bean methods using a client certificate to achieve mutual authentication on WebSphere Application Server applications.

About this task

[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows] You can achieve interoperability of Security Authentication Service between the C++ Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) client and WebSphere Application Server using Common Secure Interoperability Version 2 (CSIv2) authentication protocol over Remote Method Invocation over the Internet Inter-ORB Protocol (RMI-IIOP). The CSIv2 security service protocol has authentication, attribute and transport layers. Among the three layers, transport authentication is conceptually simple, however, cryptographically based transport authentication is the strongest. WebSphere Application Server has implemented the transport authentication layer, so that C++ secure CORBA clients can use it effectively in making CORBA clients and protected enterprise bean resources work together.

Security authentication from non-Java based C++ client to enterprise beans. WebSphere Application Server supports security in the CORBA C++ client to access-protected enterprise beans. If configured, C++ CORBA clients can access protected enterprise bean methods using a client certificate to achieve mutual authentication on WebSphere Application Server applications.

To support the C++ CORBA client in accessing protected enterprise beans, complete the following steps:

Create an environment file for the client, such as current.env. Set the variables presented in the following list in the file:

Table 1. Environment Variables.
This table lists the environment variables needed to support the C++ CORBA client in accessing protected enterprise beans.
C++ security setting	Description
client_protocol_password	Specifies the password for the user ID.
client_protocol_user	Specifies the user ID to authenticate at the target server.
security_sslKeyring	Specifies the name of the RACF® keyring for the client to use. The keyring must be defined under the user ID that is issuing the command to run the client.

Point to the environment file using the fully qualified path name through the WAS_CONFIG_FILE environment variable. For example, in the test.sh test shell script, export:
```
/WebSphere/V6R0M0/DeploymentManager/profiles/default/config/cells
  /PLEX1Network/nodes/PLEX1Manager/servers/dmgr
```
Some of the environment file terms are explained here:

default

profile name

PLEX1Network

cell name

PLEX1Manager

node name

dmgr

server name

Procedure

Obtain a valid certificate to represent the client and export its public key to the target enterprise bean server.

A valid certificate is needed to represent the C++ client. Request a certificate from the certificate authority (CA) or create a self-signed certificate for testing purposes.

Use the Key Management Utility from the IBM® Global Security Kit (GSKit) to extract the public key from the personal certificate and save it in the .arm format.
Prepare a truststore file for WebSphere Application Server.

Add the extracted client public key in the .arm file from the client to the server key truststore file. The server can now authenticate the client.
Note: This is done by invoking the Key Management Utility through ikeyman.bat or ikeyman.sh from WebSphere Application Server installation.
Configure WebSphere Application Server to support Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) as the authentication mechanism.
1. Start the administrative console.
2. Locate the application server that has the target enterprise bean deployed and configure it to use SSL client certificate authentication.
  If it is a base installation, complete the following steps:
  1. Click Security > Global security. Under RMI/IIOP security, click CSIv2 inbound communications. Select Supported for the Basic authentication and Client certificate authentication options. Leave the rest of the options as defaults.
  2. Click OK.
  3. Click Security > Global security. Under RMI/IIOP security, click CSIv2 inbound communications and verify that the SSL-supported option is selected under Transport.
  If it is a WebSphere Application Server Network Deployment setting, complete the following steps:
  1. Click Servers > Application Servers > server_name_where_the_EJB_resides.
  2. Under Security, click Server security.
  3. Select the RMI/IIOP security for this server overrides cell settings option.
  4. Under Additional properties, click CSIv2 inbound communications.
  5. Select Supported for the Basic authentication and Client certificate authentication options. Leave the rest of the options as defaults.
  6. Click Servers > Application Servers > server_name_where_the_EJB_resides.
  7. Under Security, click Server security.
  8. Under Additional properties, click CSIv2 inbound communications.
  9. Verify that the SSL-Supported option is selected.
  For details, see Configuring Common Secure Interoperability Version 2 inbound communications and Configuring inbound transports.
3. Restart the application server.
  
  The WebSphere Application Server is ready to take a C++ CORBA security client and a mutually authenticated server and client by using SSL in the transport layer.

Configure the C++ CORBA client to use a certificate in performing the mutual authentication.

Client users are accustomed to using property files in their applications because they are helpful in specifying configuration settings. The following list presents important C++ security settings:

Table 2. C++ security properties.
This tables lists important C++ security settings.
C++ security setting	Description
com.ibm.CORBA.bootstrapHostName=ricebella.austin.ibm.com	Specifies the target host name.
com.ibm.CORBA.securityEnabled=yes	Enables security.
com.ibm.CSI.performTLClientAuthenticationSupported=yes	Ensures client is supporting mutual authentication by certificate
com.ibm.ssl.keyFile=C:/ricebella/etc/DummyKeyRingFile.KDB	Specifies which key database file to use.
com.ibm.ssl.keyPassword=WebAS	Specifies the password for opening the key database file. WebSphere Application Server supports a utility called `PasswordEncode4cpp` to encode the plain password.
com.ibm.CORBA.translationEnabled=1	Enables the valueType conversion.

To use the property files in running a C++ client, an environment variable WASPROPS, is used to indicate where a property file or a list of property files exists.

For the complete set of C++ client properties, see the sample property file scclient.props, which is shipped with the product located in the app_server_root/profiles/profile_name/etc directory.