Signing message elements in consumer security constraints with an XPath expression

You can specify which message parts are expected to be signed using an XPath expression.

Before you begin

Prior to completing this task, you must import your application into an assembly tool.

For information on how to import your application, see Importing enterprise applications.

The following information explains the difference between using an XPath expression and using keywords to specify which part of the message to sign:
XPath expression
Specify any part of the message using an XPath expression. XPath is a language that is used to address parts of an XML document. You can find information on XPath syntax at the following Web site: http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-xpath-19991116.
Keywords
Specify only elements within the message using predefined keywords.

About this task

Complete the following steps to specify which message parts are expected to be signed using an XPath expression. In the following steps, you must configure either the client-side extensions in step 2 or the server-side extensions in step 3.

Procedure

  1. Start the assembly tool.
  2. Switch to the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) perspective. Click Window > Open Perspective > J2EE.
  3. Optional: Locate the client-side extensions using the Project Explorer window. The Client Deployment Descriptor window is displayed. This Web service contains the extensions that you must configure. Complete the following steps to locate the client-side extensions:
    1. Expand the Web Services > Client section and double-click the name of the Web service.
    2. Click the WS Extension tab and expand the Response Consumer Configuration section.
  4. Optional: Locate the server-side extensions using the Project Explorer window. The Web Services Editor window is displayed. This Web service contains the extensions that you must configure. Complete the following steps to locate the server-side extensions:
    1. Expand the Web Services > Services section and double-click the name of the Web service.
    2. Click the Extensions tab and expand the Request Consumer Service Configuration Details section.
  5. Expand the Required Integrity section. Integrity refers to digital signature and confidentiality refers to encryption. Integrity decreases the risk of data modification when you transmit data across a network. For more information on digitally signing SOAP messages, see XML digital signature.
  6. Click Add to indicate which message parts to validate for digital signature. The Required Integrity Dialog window is displayed. Complete the following steps to specify a configuration:
    1. Specify a name for the integrity element under Required Integrity Name field.
    2. Specify a usage type in the Usage type field. This field specifies the requirement for the integrity element. The value of this attribute is either Required or Optional.
      Required
      If you select Required and the required message parts or elements are not signed, the message is rejected with SOAP fault.
      Optional
      If you select Optional, then the digital signature of the selected message parts or elements is verified if they are signed. However, the consumer does not reject the message if the selected message parts or elements are not signed.
  7. Click Add under the Message Parts section of the Required Integrity Dialog window. Complete the following steps to specify the message parts dialect and its message part:
    1. Select the Message parts dialect from the Message Parts section of the Required Integrity Dialog window. If you select the http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/REC-xpath-19991116 dialect, the message part that is validated for digital signature is specified by the XPath expression.
    2. Specify the message part to be validated for digital signature using an XPath expression in the Message parts keyword field. For example, to specify that the message body is checked to determine if it is signed, you might add the following expression in the Message parts keyword field as one continuous line:
      /*[namespace-uri()='http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/' 
      and local-name()='Envelope']/*[namespace-uri()='http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/
      soap/envelope/' and local-name()='Body']
      Important: Verify that your XPath syntax is correct.
  8. Click OK to save the configuration changes.
    Note: These configurations for the consumer and the generator must match.

What to do next

After you specify which message parts to check for a digital signature, you must specify which method is used to validate the signature. For more information, see Configuring signing information for the consumer binding with an assembly tool.



In this information ...


Related concepts

IBM Redbooks, demos, education, and more

(Index)

Use IBM Suggests to retrieve related content from ibm.com and beyond, identified for your convenience.

This feature requires Internet access.

Task topic    

Terms of Use | Feedback

Last updated: Aug 29, 2010 9:31:45 PM CDT
http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/wsbroker/redirect?version=vela&product=was-nd-mp&topic=twbs_specsignxpathconsbind
File name: twbs_specsignxpathconsbind.html