Securing web services for Version 5.x applications using XML encryption

XML encryption is one method that WebSphere® Application Server provides to secure your web services. It enables you to encrypt an XML element, the content of an XML element, or arbitrary data such as an XML document.

Before you begin

Important: There is an important distinction between Version 5.x and Version 6 and later applications. The information supports Version 5.x applications only that are used with WebSphere Application Server Version 6.0.x and later. The information does not apply to Version 6.0.x and later applications.
WebSphere Application Server provides several different methods to secure your web services. XML encryption is one of these methods. You can secure your web services using any of the following methods:
  • XML digital signature
  • XML encryption
  • Basicauth authentication
  • Identity assertion authentication
  • Signature authentication
  • Pluggable token

About this task

XML encryption enables you to encrypt an XML element, the content of an XML element, or arbitrary data such as an XML document. Like XML digital signature, a message is sent by the client as the request sender to the server as the request receiver. The response is sent by the server as the response sender to the client as the request receiver. Unlike XML digital signature, which verifies the authenticity of the sender, XML encryption scrambles the message content using a key, which can be unscrambled by a receiver that possesses the same key. You can use XML encryption in conjunction with XML digital signature to scramble the content while verifying the authenticity of the message sender.

To use XML encryption to secure web services, you must use an assembly tool. For more information, see the related information on Assembly Tools.

To securing web services for Version 5.x applications using XML encryption, complete the following steps:

Procedure

  1. Specify the encryption settings for the request sender.
    The message parts and the encryption method settings chosen for the request sender on the client must match the message parts and the method settings chosen for the request receiver on the server. To specify the encryption settings for the request sender:
    1. Configuring the client for request encryption: Encrypting the message parts.
    2. Configuring the client for request encryption: choosing the encryption method.
  2. Specify the encryption settings for the request receiver.
    The decryption settings chosen for the request receiver must match the encryption settings chosen for the request sender.

    To specify the decryption settings for the request receiver:

    1. Configuring the server for request decryption: decrypting the message parts.
    2. Configuring the server for request decryption: choosing the decryption method.
  3. Specify the encryption settings for the response sender.
    The message parts and the encryption method settings chosen for the response sender on the server must match the message parts and the method settings chosen for the response receiver on the client. To specify the encryption settings for the response sender:
    1. Configuring the server for response encryption: encrypting the message parts.
    2. Configuring the server for response encryption: choosing the encryption method.
  4. Specify the encryption settings for the response receiver.
    Remember: The decryption settings chosen for the response receiver must match the encryption settings chosen for the response sender.
    To specify the decryption settings for the response receiver, complete the following steps:
    1. Configuring the client for response decryption: decrypting the message parts.
    2. Configuring the client for response decryption: choosing a decryption method.

Results

After completing these steps, you have secured your web services using XML encryption.