W

W3C

See World Wide Web Consortium

Web Services Description Language (WSDL)

A method for describing a Web-based application that’s accessible through an Internet connection, also known as a service. The file associated with this description contains the service description, port type, interface description, individual method names, and parameter types. A WSDL relies on namespace support to provide descriptions of common elements such as data types. Most WSDL files include references to two or more resources maintained by standards organizations to ensure compatibility across implementations.

Web Services Development Kit (WSDK)

An alternative name for Web Service Enhancements (WSE). See the definition for WSE.

Web Services Enhancements (WSE)

A Microsoft product that enables the developer to add enhancements such as WS-Security to Web applications such as Web Services. This product adds special features to the Visual Studio .NET IDE that make it easier to secure Web applications and make them more reliable.

Windows NT LAN Manager Security (NTLM)

A security scheme based on a challenge/response scenario. The server challenges the client, which

must then provide an appropriate username and password. If the username and associated password are found in the server’s security list for the service that the client has requested, then access to the service is granted. This security scheme is relatively easy to break and has been replaced by more reliable security schemes like Kerberos in later versions of Windows.

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)

A standards organization essentially devoted to Internet security issues, but also involved in other issues such as the special <OBJECT> tag required by Microsoft to implement ActiveX technology. The W3C also defines a wealth of other HTML and XML standards. The W3C first appeared on the scene in December 1994, when it endorsed SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). In February 1995, it also endorsed application-level security for the Internet. Its current project is the Digital Signatures Initiative—W3C presented it in May 1996 in Paris.

WSDK

See Web Services Development Kit

WSDL

See Web Services Description Language

WSE

See Web Services Enhancements