Optimization of Signing SOAP Body Element

An XML digital signature mechanism for providing message integrity. A sending party serializes a source XML document into a serialized byte array, calculates the source offset and length of the array of the signed part in the serialized byte array, and calculates a source hash value using the serialized array and the source offset and length. The serialized byte array is a non-canonicalized array. The array and source hash value used to sign a part or the whole of the serialized byte array is sent to a receiving party. The receiving party calculates the target offset and length of the signed part in the serialized byte array and calculates a target hash value of the signed part by using the array and the target offset and length. The receiving party compares the target hash value and the source hash value to verify the integrity of the target XML document.