Filter
Top Products
Chapter 6 Security and MIDlet Signing 51
■ MIDlets in the minimum domain are denied all permissions.
■ The untrusted domain provides a high level of security for applications whose
origins and authenticity cannot be determined. The user is prompted frequently
when the application attempts a sensitive operation
■ The trusted domain is a happy place for MIDlets where all permissions are
granted.
■ The maximum domain is equivalent to trusted.
When you press the Run button to run your application in the emulator, your code
runs in the untrusted protection domain by default. You can change which
protection domain is used by choosing Edit > Preferences... from the KToolbar
menu. Select the Security tab. You can now choose the default protection domain
from the combo box.
Things are different when you use Run via OTA. Your packaged MIDlet suite is
installed directly into the emulator, and it is placed in a protection domain at
installation time. The emulator uses public key cryptography to determine the
protection domain of installed MIDlet suites.
If the MIDlet suite is not signed, it is placed in the untrusted domain. If the
MIDlet is signed, it is placed in whatever protection domain is associated with the
root certificate of the signing key’s certificate chain.
For example, suppose Respectable Software, a hypothetical company, wants to
distribute a cryptographically signed MIDlet suite. Respectable Software buys a
signing key pair from Super-Trustee, a hyptothetical certificate authority. Using the
signing key, Respectable Software signs the MIDlet suite, and distributes their
certificate with the MIDlet suite. When the MIDlet suite is installed on the
emulator, or on a device, the implementation verifies Respectable’s certificate using
its own copy of Super-Trustee’s root certificate. Then it uses Respectable’s
certificate to verify the signature on the MIDlet suite. Assuming everything checks
out, the device or emulator installs the MIDlet suite into whatever protection
domain is associated with Super-Trustee’s root certificate.
The J2ME Wireless Toolkit provides tools to sign MIDlet suites, manage keys, and
manage root certificates.
6.3 Signing a MIDlet Suite
To sign a MIDlet suite, you must package it first. Then choose Project > Sign from
the KToolbar menu. The signing window appears.