Chapter 3. Configuring HTTPS

When an application is configured for target-only authentication, the target authenticates itself to the client but the client is not authentic to the target object, as shown in Figure 3.1, “Target Authentication Only”.

Figure 3.1. Target Authentication Only

Prior to running the application, the client and server should be set up as follows:

During the security handshake, the server sends its certificate chain to the client (see Figure 3.1, “Target Authentication Only”). The client then searches its trusted CA lists to find a CA certificate that matches one of the CA certificates in the server’s certificate chain.

On the client side, there are no policy settings required for target-only authentication. Simply configure your client without associating an X.509 certificate with the HTTPS port. You must provide the client with a list of trusted CA certificates, however (see Section 3.2, “Specifying Trusted CA Certificates”).

On the server side, in the server’s XML configuration file, make sure that the sec:clientAuthentication element does not require client authentication. This element can be omitted, in which case the default policy is to not require client authentication. However, if the sec:clientAuthentication element is present, it should be configured as follows:

<http:destination id="{Namespace}PortName.http-destination">
  <http:tlsServerParameters secureSocketProtocol="TLSv1">
    ...

    <sec:clientAuthentication want="false" required="false"/>
  </http:tlsServerParameters>
</http:destination>

Where the want attribute is set to false (the default), specifying that the server does not request an X.509 certificate from the client during a TLS handshake. The required attribute is also set to false (the default), specifying that the absence of a client certificate does not trigger an exception during the TLS handshake.

It is also necessary to associate an X.509 certificate with the server’s HTTPS port (see Section 3.3, “Specifying an Application’s Own Certificate” ) and to provide the server with a list of trusted CA certificates (see Section 3.2, “Specifying Trusted CA Certificates” ).

When an application is configured for mutual authentication, the target authenticates itself to the client and the client authenticates itself to the target. This scenario is illustrated in Figure 3.2, “Mutual Authentication” . In this case, the server and the client each require an X.509 certificate for the security handshake.

Figure 3.2. Mutual Authentication

Prior to running the application, the client and server must be set up as follows:

During the TLS handshake, the server sends its certificate chain to the client, and the client sends its certificate chain to the server—see Figure 3.1, “Target Authentication Only” .

On the client side, there are no policy settings required for mutual authentication. Simply associate an X.509 certificate with the client’s HTTPS port (see Section 3.3, “Specifying an Application’s Own Certificate”). You also need to provide the client with a list of trusted CA certificates (see Section 3.2, “Specifying Trusted CA Certificates”).

On the server side, in the server’s XML configuration file, make sure that the sec:clientAuthentication element is configured to require client authentication. For example:

<http:destination id="{Namespace}PortName.http-destination">
  <http:tlsServerParameters secureSocketProtocol="TLSv1">
    ...
    <sec:clientAuthentication want="true" required="true"/>
  </http:tlsServerParameters>
</http:destination>

Where the want attribute is set to true, specifying that the server requests an X.509 certificate from the client during a TLS handshake. The required attribute is also set to true, specifying that the absence of a client certificate triggers an exception during the TLS handshake.

It is also necessary to associate an X.509 certificate with the server’s HTTPS port (see Section 3.3, “Specifying an Application’s Own Certificate”) and to provide the server with a list of trusted CA certificates (see Section 3.2, “Specifying Trusted CA Certificates”).

When an application receives an X.509 certificate during an SSL/TLS handshake, the application decides whether or not to trust the received certificate by checking whether the issuer CA is one of a pre-defined set of trusted CA certificates. If the received X.509 certificate is validly signed by one of the application’s trusted CA certificates, the certificate is deemed trustworthy; otherwise, it is rejected.

Any application that is likely to receive an X.509 certificate as part of an HTTPS handshake must specify a list of trusted CA certificates. For example, this includes the following types of application:

CA certificates must be provided in Java keystore format.

To deploy one or more trusted root CAs for the HTTPS transport, perform the following steps:

When working with the HTTPS transport the application’s certificate is deployed using the XML configuration file.

To deploy an application’s own certificate for the HTTPS transport, perform the following steps: