Sun Java System Web Server 7.0 Update 5 Developer's Guide to Java Web Applications

Digital Signatures

The Web Server uses XML Digital signatures to bind an authentication identity to the message content. Clients use digital signatures to establish their caller identity, analogous to basic authentication or SSL client certificate authentication. Digital signatures are verified by the message receiver to authenticate the source of the message content, which might be different from the sender of the message. When using digital signatures, valid keystore and truststore files must be configured on the Web Server.