No one ever said that encryption and Java would be a piece of cake. But with the right tools and reference guide, it might be a whole lot easier to wrap your mind around. Check it out:

XML Encryption provides end-to-end security for applications that require secure exchange of structured data. XML itself is the most popular technology for structuring data, and therefore XML-based encryption is the natural way to handle complex requirements for security in data interchange applications.

This article discusses how to manage the complexities of XML encryption using tools and technologies available in the Java programming language and the Apache XML Security framework.

First, however, I will introduce the security threats facing XML.

XML Security Threats
XML-based data transfer has emerged as the standard for organizations to exchange business data. As with all communications over the public Internet, XML-based transfers have their own set of vulnerabilities to confront. The following list illustrates some specific XML security threats: [Read the rest]