WebFOCUS Online Help > ReportCaster Development and Administration > ReportCaster Security > Optional Encryption Providers for ReportCaster

Optional Encryption Providers for ReportCaster

In this section:

How to:

Reference:

ReportCaster supports encryption providers based on the Data Encryption Standard (DES) and Triple DES algorithms. These providers are activated by the Encryption Type parameter in the ReportCaster Server Configuration tool. This parameter specifies an override of the encryption class used to read WebFOCUS cookies and protect the ReportCaster cookie. It is also used with the trusted Managed Reporting sign-on feature.

These optional providers use Sun's Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) library and are supported with the Java servlet (WFServlet) implementation of the WebFOCUS Client. The Triple DES provider uses the stronger Cypher Block Chaining (CBC) mode option. You can specify an external encryption key for both provider types.

If you enable WebFOCUS encryption using the WebFOCUS WFENCR context parameter, then you must identically set ReportCaster encryption, including any key file settings.

For more information about WebFOCUS encryption using the WebFOCUS WFENCR context parameter, see the WebFOCUS Security and Administration manual.

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Procedure: How to Enable DES or Triple DES Encryption
  1. Access the ReportCaster Server Configuration tool in one of the following ways:
    • If you are on a Windows platform, you can access the configuration tool from the Start Programs menu by selecting Information Builders, ReportCaster 76, Distribution Server, Configuration, and then clicking Edit.
    • When logged on to Managed Reporting as an administrator, click the clock icon. The ReportCaster Development and Administration Interface opens. From this interface, select the ReportCaster Server Configuration link.
    • You can also access ReportCaster independent of Managed Reporting by typing the following URL:
      http://hostname[:port]/rcaster/main/reportcaster.jsp

      where:

      hostname[:port]

      is the host name and optional port number (specified only if you are not using the default port number) of the Application Server where the ReportCaster Web application is deployed.

      rcaster

      is the site-customized context root for the ReportCaster Web application deployed on your Application Server. rcaster is the default value.

      In this case, since your user credentials have not been validated by Managed Reporting, you must type a valid ReportCaster administrator ID and password to log on to the ReportCaster Development and Administration Interface. From this interface, select the ReportCaster Server Configuration link.

    The ReportCaster - Server Configuration window opens displaying the General tab.

  2. Expand the Security folder and then expand the Encryption folder.

  3. From the Type parameter drop-down list, select one of the following options:
    • WebFOCUS Default - Enables WebFOCUS default encryption.
    • WFWireDES - Enables DES encryption without an external key file.
    • WFWireTripleDES - Enables Triple DES encryption without an external key file.
    • WFWireDESKeyFile - Enables DES encryption with an external key file.
    • WFWireTripleDESKeyFile - Enables Triple DES encryption with an external key file.
  4. If you select WFWireDESKeyFile or WFWireTripleDESKeyFile as the encryption type, then specify the key value in the Encryption Key setting field.

    Depending on the encryption type, the key value is 8 or 24 hexadecimal bytes. An examle of a 24 hexadecimal bytes value is 

    5468658A6C617A7920646F67206A756D7073206F7665723F

  5. Reload the ReportCaster Web application for the new settings to take effect.
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Reference: Key Format

The encryption key information is stored in a plain text file and is represented by a sequence of bytes in hexadecimal notation. A hexadecimal byte is represented by 2 digits; each digit is either a number (0-9) or a letter (A-F). The key must contain 8 hexadecimal bytes for a DES key and 24 hexadecimal bytes for a Triple DES key.

It may seem that more data is specified in the key than is required (8 bits per byte times 24 bytes is 192 bits, which is greater than the 168 bits usually required for Triple DES). However, 192 bits are required when using a plain text file with these algorithms.

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Sun JCE Provider Support

The DES and Triple DES algorithms were developed with Sun's Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) framework and currently implement only the Sun JCE provider class. Review the following scenarios to verify support for your Application server:

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