Overview
ISO/IEC 24824-3:2008 - Information technology: Fast infoset security specifies how to apply encryption and integrity to parts of an XML infoset when that infoset is serialized using Fast Infoset (see ISO/IEC 24824-1). The standard defines canonical Fast Infoset algorithms, integrates W3C XML Signature and XML Encryption processing, and provides application-level extensions that let encryption operate on Fast Infoset octets rather than text XML octets.
Key SEO keywords: ISO/IEC 24824-3, Fast Infoset security, canonical Fast Infoset, XML Signature, XML Encryption, XML infoset, binary XML.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Canonical Fast Infoset algorithms: The standard specifies four canonical Fast Infoset algorithms (with URIs) that transform an XML infoset or restricted XPath node set to a canonical Fast Infoset document (a sequence of octets) suitable for digesting and signing.
- Integration with W3C specs: Uses W3C XML Signature for integrity and W3C XML Encryption for confidentiality. For canonicalization it references W3C Canonical XML and Exclusive XML Canonicalization.
- Application-level extensions for encryption: Defines how to identify and serialize fragments (element information items or child information items) into complete XML infosets, then serialize those to Fast Infoset octets for encryption/decryption.
- Requirements and restrictions: Specifies constraints on canonical Fast Infoset algorithms and on the XPath node sets allowed (so serialized fragments are well-formed) to ensure deterministic signing and encryption.
- Binary handling: Enables direct encoding of binary signature, digest and cipher values in Fast Infoset serialization (avoiding base64 overhead required by textual XML).
- Examples and annexes: Includes practical examples (e.g., signing/encrypting SOAP message infosets) to illustrate typical usage.
Practical applications and users
Who benefits:
- Protocol and middleware developers implementing binary XML (Fast Infoset) transports.
- Security library authors adding XML Signature/XML Encryption support for Fast Infoset serialization.
- Enterprise/SOAP integration teams optimizing signed/encrypted SOAP messages for bandwidth and performance.
- Telecommunications and IoT implementers where compact, efficient, signed/encrypted XML infosets reduce message size and CPU cost.
Practical benefits:
- Reduced message size and processing overhead compared to text XML (fewer octets to encrypt/sign).
- Faster processing by avoiding base64 encoding/decoding of binary signature and cipher values.
- Standardized canonicalization and transforms for reliable signature verification across implementations.
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 24824-1 / ITU-T Rec. X.891 - Fast Infoset serialization
- W3C XML-Signature - XML Signature Syntax and Processing
- W3C XML Encryption - XML Encryption Syntax and Processing
- W3C Canonical XML and Exclusive XML Canonicalization
- W3C XPath and W3C XML Information Set
This standard is essential when implementing secure, compact binary XML exchanges that must interoperate with W3C XML security processing.