Hackproof XML with digital signatures

Digital signatures are widely used as security tokens, and not just in XML. A digital signature provides a mechanism for assuring integrity of data, the authentication of its signer, and the nonrepudiation of the entire signature to an external party. In XML, the specification for digital signatures is flexible and gives you the ability to sign anything from a simple message embedded in a signature or a message that contains the signature within it or external resources. In this sample chapter from Hackproofing XML, examine how to create a digital signature and the way that digital signatures are constructed. Then, investigate the current W3C XML digital signature and consider the effects of the structure of this XML-specific tool. Finally, learn where this construct fits into overall XML security and its potential uses. Chapter coverage includes:

• Understanding how a digital signature works
• Applying XML digital signatures to security
• Using XPath to transform a document
• Using XLST to transform a document
• Using manifests to manage lists of signed elements
• Cautions and pitfalls

Title: Hackproofing XML
ISBN: 1931836507
Published: June 2002
Authors: Larry Loeb, Jeremy Faircloth, Ken Ftu, Carter Everett, Curtis Franklin
Chapter: Chapter 5: XML Digital Signatures
Published by Syngress Publishing