Securing SOAP Messages with a Global Message Handler and a Standardized Envelope

This paper argues that, in a collaboration context, instead of Web services requiring client applications to comply with individual permutations of security configurations, a standardized mechanism should be established to ensure global security-interoperability. Such a solution would facilitate providing Web services in Grid Services contexts as well. A framework is proposed which comprises, inter alia, a standardized SOAP envelope and a standardized message-handling service. The standardized message-handling service receives and generates standardized SOAP envelopes at both the consumer and provider sides. The SOAP envelopes contain standardized security headers based on WS-* standards and standard security technologies. The message-handler is a Web service that acts as a relay to the actual service being called, ensuring standardized interoperability features, which includes standardized security.