WebSphere Application Server - Express, Version 6.0.x     Operating Systems: AIX, HP-UX, Linux, Solaris, Windows

Configuring library.policy files

Why and when to perform this task

Java 2 security uses several policy files to determine the granted permission for each Java program. See Java 2 security policy files for the list of available policy files supported by WebSphere Application Server. The library.policy file is the template for shared libraries (Java library classes). Multiple enterprise applications can define and use shared libraries. Refer to Managing shared libraries for information on how to define and manage the shared libraries.

If the default permissions for a shared library (union of the permissions defined in the java.policy file, the app.policy file and the library.policy file) are enough, no action is required. The default library policy is picked up automatically. If a specific change is required to share a library in the cell, update the library.policy file.

Syntax errors in the policy files cause the application server to fail. Edit these policy files carefully.

Important: Do not place the codebase keyword or any other keyword after the grant keyword. The Signed By keyword and the Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) Principal keyword are not supported in the library.policy file. The Signed By keyword is supported in the following policy files: java.policy, server.policy, and client.policy. The JAAS Principal keyword is supported in a JAAS policy file when it is specified by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) system property, java.security.auth.policy. You can statically set the authorization policy files in java.security.auth.policy with auth.policy.url.n=URL where URL is the location of the authorization policy.

Steps for this task

  1. Modify the library.policy file with the Policy Tool. For more information, see Using Policy Tool to edit policy files.
  2. Extract the policy file.
    To extract the policy file, use a command prompt to enter the following command using the appropriate variable values for your environment:
    wsadmin> set obj [$AdminConfig extract cells/cell_name/nodes/
    node_name/library.policy c:/temp/test/library.policy]
    The previous two lines were split onto two lines for illustrative purposes only.

Result

An updated library.policy is applied to shared libraries after the servers restart.

Example

java.policyapp.policylibrary.policylibrary.policy
The library.policy file supplied by WebSphere Application Server resides at: install_root/config/cells/cell_name/nodes/node_name/ directory. The file contains an empty permission entry as a default. For example:
grant {
  };

If the shared library in a cell requires permissions that are not defined as defaults in the java.policy file, app.policy file and the library.policy file, update the library.policy file. The missing permission causes the exception, java.security.AccessControlException. The missing permission is listed in the exception data.

[Windows]For example:
java.security.AccessControlException: access denied (java.io.FilePermission 
install_dir/lib/mail-impl.jar read)
The previous lines are split into two lines for illustrative purposes only. The install_dir variable represents your installation directory.

When a Java program receives this exception and adding this permission is justified, add a permission to the library.policy file.

[Windows]For example:
grant { permission java.io.FilePermission "install_dir/lib/mail-impl.jar", "read"; };
The previous lines are split into two lines for illustrative purposes only. The install_dir variable represents your installation directory.

To decide whether to add a permission, refer to Access control exception.

What to do next

Restart the related Java processes for the changes in the library.policy file to become effective.



Related concepts
Access control exception
Java 2 security policy files

Related tasks
Configuring the was.policy file
Configuring spi.policy files
Configuring library.policy files
Adding the was.policy file to applications
Configuring server.policy files
Configuring java.policy files
Using Policy Tool to edit policy files

Task topic    

Terms of Use | Feedback

Last updated: Jun 8, 2005 12:45:23 PM EDT
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/v6r0/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websphere.express.doc/info/exp/ae/tsec_librarypolicy.html

© Copyright IBM Corporation 2002, 2005. All Rights Reserved.
This information center is powered by Eclipse technology. (http://www.eclipse.org)