Network Deployment (Distributed operating systems), v8.0 > Reference > Configuration file descriptions
ws-security.xml file - Default configuration for WAS ND
For JAX-RPC applications, WAS ND installation uses the ws-security.xml file to define the default binding information for Web Services Security for an entire cell.
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 WAS Version 6.0.x and later. The information does not apply to v6.0.x and later applications.
In the WAS ND installation, the ws-security.xml file is at the cell level and defines the default binding information for Web Services Security for the entire cell. But each application server can have its own ws-security.xml file to override the cell default; similarly, each web service can override the default in its binding files. The following list contains the defaults defined in ws-security.xml file:
The Web Services Security run time reads the configuration from the application bindings first, then tries the server-level, and finally tries the cell level. The following figure depicts the runtime configuration process.
Figure 1. Runtime configuration 
Default binding
Trust anchors
Collection certificate store
Key locator
Trusted ID evaluator
Login mappings
Secure web services for v5.x applications using XML digital signature