This advanced course introduces Java developers to key technology for developing secure Web services. Specifically, we focus on XML signature and encryption standards, the WS-Security specification and token profiles, and the Security Assertions Markup Language (SAML). Students practice signing and encrypting XML message content, and configuring J2EE tools to support signature and encryption of SOAP messages under the Java API for XML-Based RPC (JAX-RPC).

The course emphasizes hands-on exercise, and students will spend roughly half of their classroom time solving specific security problems. Some early labs on XML signature and encryption work to local files; but the bulk of the work is with running JAX-RPC web services: adding WS-Security headers, signing and encrypting message content, and passing SAML assertions among various parties to a messaging scenario.

Although for practical purposes this course relies on a specific platform — Java and J2EE — much of the course content teaches interoperable specifications and would be equally useful to developers working on other Web-service-capable platforms such as .NET.