We have the requirement to use SSL client certificate for a JMS connection to an IBM MQ server. I already asked a question specifically for Websphere MQ but then I learned that this is mainly the job of JSSE and can be configured via Java System Properties (e.g. -Djavax.net.ssl.keyStore=<location of keyStore>).
But since there are already active keystores for other parts of the application within our WildFly 9 AS, I'm looking for a way to enable a specific keystore just for the JMS part - can this be done?
Yes it is possible for an MQ classes for JMS application to use a specific keystore and truststore when creating secure connections to a queue manager.
By default, the MQ classes for JMS will use the standard javax.net.ssl System Properties to determine which certificate store to use as the key and trust stores. However, you can customise this by building your own javax.net.ssl.SSLSocketFactory object that gets set on the JMS Connection Factory used by your application.
See the Knowledge Center for further details:
https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/SSFKSJ_9.0.0/com.ibm.mq.dev.doc/q032450_.htm
This typically means you have to programmatically build or update a JMS Connection Factory within application code, rather than via administration only and updating a JNDI definition - which is somewhat unfortunate.
I know you have stated you are using WildFly as your application server of choice, but just for your awareness, WebSphere Application Server (WSAS) allows you to configure a JMS Connection Factory within JNDI and have a separate SSL/TLS configuration (containing certificate store information, Cipher Suites etc) that can be associated with the JMS resources. WSAS will then take care of creating the SSLSocketFactory and setting it appropriately on the JMS Connection Factory when an application uses it to create a JMS Connection or Context.
As such, you continue to define your resources (JMS and SSL) administratively via the WSAS Administration Console or wsadmin scripting without having to insert specific logic within the application to do this, which is obviously preferred.
WildFly (and other JEE app servers) might offer similar functionality, but I do not know.