Configure the client for signature authentication: specifying the method

Signature authentication, the use of an X.509 certificate to login on the target server, can be configured.

Overview

There is an important distinction between V5.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.

This task is used to configure signature authentication. A signature refers to the use of an X.509 certificate to login on the target server.  For more information on signature authentication, see Signature authentication method.

Complete the following steps to specify signature as the authentication method:

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 Extension tab, which is located at the bottom of the deployment descriptor editor within the assembly tool.

6. Expand the Request sender configuration > Login configuration section. The following login configuration options are valid for a managed client and Web services acting as a client are:

   BasicAuth

   Use this option for a managed client.

   Signature

   Use this option for a managed client.

   IDAssertion

   Use this option for Web services acting as a client.

7. Select Signature to authenticate the client using the certificate used to digitally sign the request.

Results

After you specify signature as the authentication method, specify how to collect the authentication information. See Configuring the client for signature authentication: collecting the authentication information for more information.

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