Secure XML: The New Syntax for Signatures and Encryption

Part III: Canonicalization and Authentication

Congratulations! You have made it through the introductory parts of this book. Now our look at the real XML Security parts begins.

Part III deals with authentication—that is, digital signatures, message authentication codes, and the like. For a language as malleable as XML, a critical part of any nontrivial authentication is canonicalization. Chapter 9 goes into that topic in great depth.

Armed with an understanding of canonicalization, we then dive into the XML Digital Signature standard (XMLDSIG) in Chapter 10.

Chapter 11 gives several examples of profiling XMLDSIG for particular applications. You should view XMLDSIG as a toolbox. Almost any particular use will require restrictions on the wide ...