Configuring the server to handle LTPA token authentication information

Lightweight Third-Party Authentication (LTPA) is a type of authentication mechanism in WebSphere® Application Server security that defines a particular token format. The purpose of the LTPA token authentication is to flow the LTPA token from the first web service, which authenticated the originating client, to the downstream web service. You can configure the server for LTPA token authentication.

About this task

Important: There is an important distinction between Version 5.x and Version 6.0.x and later applications. The information supports Version 5.x applications only that are used with WebSphere Application Server Version 6.0.x and later. The information does not apply to Version 6.0.x and later applications.

This task is used to configure LTPA. Do not attempt to configure LTPA from a pure client. After the downstream web service receives the LTPA token, it validates the token to verify that the token has not been modified and has not expired. For validation to be successful, the LTPA keys that are used by both the sending and receiving servers must be the same.

Complete the following steps to specify that LTPA is the authentication method. The authentication method indicated in these steps must match the authentication method that is specified for the client.

Procedure

  1. Launch an assembly tool.
    For more information, see the related information on Assembly Tools.
  2. Switch to the Java™ Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) perspective. Click Window > Open Perspective > J2EE.
  3. Click EJB Projects > application_name > ejbModule > META-INF.
  4. Right-click the webservices.xml file, and click Open with > Web services editor.
  5. Click the Extensions tab, which is located at the end of the web services editor within the assembly tool.
  6. Expand the Request receiver service configuration details > Login configuration section.
    You can select from the following options:
    • BasicAuth
    • Signature
    • ID assertion
    • LTPA
  7. Select LTPA to authenticate the client using the LTPA token received from the request.

What to do next

After you specify the authentication method, you must specify the information that the server must validate. See Configuring the server to validate LTPA token authentication information for more information.