- Securing web services involves ensuring end-to-end confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation of messages through standards like XML Encryption, XML Signature, WS-Security, WS-Trust, and WS-Security Policy.
- WS-Security provides message-level security through username tokens, X.509 tokens, and XML signatures and encryption. WS-Trust allows delegating authentication to external domains.
- Sign & encrypt and encrypt & sign are two approaches to securing messages with XML Signature and Encryption, with tradeoffs in terms of integrity and confidentiality.