Configure 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 Version 5.x and V6 and later applications. The information in this article supports V5.x applications only that are used with WebSphere Application Server V6.0.x and later. The information does not apply to V6.0.x and later applications. Prior to completing these steps, read either of the following topics to familiarize yourself with the WS Extensions tab and the WS Binding tab in the Client Deployment Descriptor editor within an assembly tool:

• Configuring the client security bindings using an assembly tool

• Configuring the security bindings on a server acting as a client using the administrative console

These two tabs are used to configure the Web services security extensions and Web services security bindings, respectively.

Overview

Complete the following steps to specify which encryption method to use when configuring the client for request encryption:

Procedure

1. Launch an assembly tool. For more information on the assembly tools, see Assembly tools.

2. Switch to the J2EE perspective. Click Window > Open Perspective > J2EE.

3. Click Application Client Projects > application_name > appClientModule > META-INF.

4. Right-click the application-client.xml file, select Open with > Deployment descriptor editor.

5. Click the WS binding tab, which is located at the bottom of the Client Deployment Descriptor editor within the assembly tool.

6. Expand Security request sender binding configuration > Encryption information.

7. 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 that are 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 Configuring key locators using an assembly tool and Configuring key locators using the administrative console.

8. Optional: Select Show only FIPS Compliant Algorithms if you only want the FIPS compliant algorithms to be shown in the Data Encryption method algorithm and Key Encryption method algorithm drop-down lists. Use this option if you expect this application to be run on a WebSphere Application Server that has set the Use the United States Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) algorithms option in the SSL certificate and key management panel of the WebSphere administrative console.

Results

What to do next

Related concepts

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