Secure XML: The New Syntax for Signatures and Encryption

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is the environment of choice for creating many of today's technologically sophisticated and security-sensitive Web applications. With Secure XML, developers now have the hands-on guide they need to combine a strong foundation in XML with proven, practical techniques for enabling the secure transmission of data across the Web.

Broad-based and comprehensive, Secure XML fully documents every feature and issue involved with XML security. Opening with a complete introduction to XML, the book then provides detailed coverage of authentication, canonicalization, keying, encryption, algorithms, and more. Notes, background information, guidelines, and "soapbox," or heretical comments, expand on the book's practical focus throughout. In all, this book features the most comprehensive roadmap to digital security and XML encryption available.

Topics covered in-depth include:

• XML basics—documents, namespaces, structures, DTDs and schemas, and stylesheets
• XPath, XPointer, and SOAP
• Digital cryptography basics--secret and public key ciphers, asymmetric keys, digital signatures, and certificates
• XML canonicalization, signatures, and authentication
• XML encryption
• Key management and combining encryption with signatures
• Cryptographic algorithms and noncryptographic algorithms

Detailed and practical, this book provides reliable solutions for securing XML and for safeguarding information flow across today's sophisticated Web.

Table of Contents

Preface.
Notations.
Acknowledgments.

I. INTRODUCTION.

1. XML and Security.
2. Digital Cryptography Basics.

II. XML BASICS.

3. The Extensible Markup Language.
4. XML Document Type Definitions.
5. XML Schema.
6. XPath: A Basic Building Block. 
7. URIs, xml:base, and XPointer.
8. SOAP.

III. CANONICALIZATION AND AUTHENTICATION.

9. XML Canonicalization: The Key to Robustness.
10. XML Signatures and Authentication.
11. Profiling XMLDSIG for Applications.
12. ETSI “Advanced” XML Signatures.

IV. KEYING.

13. The KeyInfo Element.
14. XKMS: XML Key Management.

V. ENCRYPTION.

15. XML Encryption.
16. Combining Encryption and Signature.

VI. ALGORITHMS 381

17. Overview of Algorithms.

18. Cryptographic Algorithms.
19. Non-cryptographic Algorithms.

APPENDIXES.
Appendix A XML Security Implementations.

Appendix B The W3C and W3C Documents.
Appendix C The IETF and IETF Documents.
Appendix D The NIST and NIST Documents.
Appendix E The Paper and Protocol Points of View.
References and Acronyms.