[jdom-interest] JDOM and XML Signature?

[Patrick Simon]

Hi David,

currently I am indeed working on a project where Digital signature will 
definetly be implemented into the workflow
-it's just not decided yet which way.
Considering the fact that we have a *rock solid* working XML-Import 
Module based on JDOM
I'd definetely prefer the JDOM-XML-Signature  to all other solutions...
So yes and yes: we have a project related to it, and I would be very 
interested in having such a functionality. :-)
(also would like to contribute to such a task but have to admit that my 
insight into JDOM is not (yet) so deep
compared to others...)

 From reading about it I can contribute some pros/cons/points of 
discussion on adding this functionality:

1.)  Structure
In general electronic signatures as such consist of structured data so 
it lays very close to represent them as
XML-Docs (or part of XML docs -not trying to heat up the XML-Fragment 
discussion again  -or am I? ;-)

2.) manufacture independence
Compared to other more proprietary solutions (acrobat etc.) for 
xml-signed docs XML-signed docs
would be really manufacture-independant and content -independant.

3.) requirements/complexity
A low number of  projects implementing such functionality might come 
from the fact that requirements
(dictated by law etc.) are very high and the technique itself is rather 
complex to understand and use.
(but to play it marketing-wise: "it's the future! Electronic signature 
will be in every household!" ehhr- or so..)

4.) Transparency
On the other hand especially signed XML-Docs would provide the great 
opportunity to make the
process of signing data and (managing) signed data  most transparent to  
the user  as the result is
not a binary format but always readable/controllable and (i.e. through a 
prepared viewer) understandable.
Meaning: it would not be a format where information is hidden somewhere  
inside.

5.)  too specific?
Discussion point would be whether this is eventually too specific a 
functionality to have in JDOM
but  XML's open and readable predestinates this format more than any 
other for this functionality.
So it would be a really great to have in the JDOM lib.
(not neglecting the fact that integrating this into JDOM would not be an 
easy job...)

my 0.30c
greetings
Patrick



David Wall wrote:

>Does anybody know if there's a project or interest in adding XML Signature
>to JDOM?  When you look at the Apache XML DSig code using DOM, it seems
>clear that a JDOM version would be a big win since digitally signing a list
>of elements shouldn't really be so complicated and JDOM has the right
>mentality of keeping it simple and Java-centric.
>
>Thanks,
>David
>
>_______________________________________________
>To control your jdom-interest membership:
>http://lists.denveronline.net/mailman/options/jdom-interest/youraddr@yourhost.com
>
>
>
>  
>