Hi everyone!

I have built a vb6 app that communicates with a web server to get data from 
an webservice through the internet (not lan).

My question/problem is,
1) how could I make this webservice secure, so that only my vb6 app has 
access to it and noone else?
Should I use WSE or WCF?
Well ok, but I have completely no idea on how to!

2) Should I enable ssl for this webservice, so that data is encrypted? How?

Please can somebody provide me with info/hints/tips/walkthrough on how to do 
this?

Thanks in advance!

first of all, thank you very much for the interest!

I have already done the following steps:
(using http://www.codeproject.com/soap/wssecurity_usernametokens.asp as a 
guide reference)

Secured my web service using WSE 3.0 and tried to access the  web service 
using vb6 and soap,
with the following code:

 

  Set g_objSoap = New MSSOAPLib.SoapClient
  With g_objSoap
    .mssoapinit http://ticketinsrv/dbws/service.asmx?WSDL
    .ConnectorProperty("AuthUser") = "wsuser"
    .ConnectorProperty("AuthPassword") = "pass"
  End With
 

 However I get either "access denied" (line:

 .mssoapinit http://ticketinsrv/dbws/service.asmx?WSDL)

or access denied when trying to execute any method,

e.g. the following (test) one:

 

  <WebMethod()> _
  Public Function Hello() As String

    ' Get the current soap context
    Dim ctxt As SoapContext = RequestSoapContext.Current
    If ctxt Is Nothing Then
      ' This request is using a different protocol other than SOAP.
      Return "Please format the request as a SOAP request and try again."
    End If

    ' Iterate through all Security tokens
    For Each tok As SecurityToken In ctxt.Security.Tokens
      If TypeOf (tok) Is UsernameToken Then
        Dim user As UsernameToken = CType(tok, UsernameToken)
        Return "Hello Authenticated user " + user.Username
      End If
    Next tok
    Return "Hello Liar"

  End Function

  Also, my customauthenticator class (referenced from the web service) is as 
follows:

 

Imports System
Imports System.Security.Permissions
Imports Microsoft.Web.Services3.Security.Tokens

Namespace WSESecurity
  <SecurityPermissionAttribute(SecurityAction.Demand)> _
  Public Class CustomAuthenticator
    Inherits UsernameTokenManager

    ' Returns the password or password equivalent for a user name
    Protected Overrides Function AuthenticateToken(ByVal token As 
UsernameToken) As String

      If token Is Nothing Then
        Throw New ArgumentNullException()
      End If

      ' perform a lookup in your database 
      ' for the user name in 'token.Username'
      ' and return the password as a string. 
      ' If there is no match, return null.
      If token.Username = "wstest" Then
        Return "pass"
      Else
        Return Nothing
      End If

    End Function
  End Class
End Namespace

  

I can't figure out WTH goes wrong, so please, if anyone has any 
idea/tips/suggestions please please HELP me! 

(It's my first time writing a secure web service - newbie on the subject)

I have already done the following steps:
(using http://www.codeproject.com/soap/wssecurity_usernametokens.asp as a 
guide reference)

Secured my web service using WSE 3.0 and tried to access the  web service 
using vb6 and soap,
with the following code:

 

  Set g_objSoap = New MSSOAPLib.SoapClient
  With g_objSoap
    .mssoapinit http://ticketinsrv/dbws/service.asmx?WSDL
    .ConnectorProperty("AuthUser") = "wsuser"
    .ConnectorProperty("AuthPassword") = "pass"
  End With
 

 However I get either "access denied" (line:

 .mssoapinit http://ticketinsrv/dbws/service.asmx?WSDL)

or access denied when trying to execute any method,

e.g. the following (test) one:

 

  <WebMethod()> _
  Public Function Hello() As String

    ' Get the current soap context
    Dim ctxt As SoapContext = RequestSoapContext.Current
    If ctxt Is Nothing Then
      ' This request is using a different protocol other than SOAP.
      Return "Please format the request as a SOAP request and try again."
    End If

    ' Iterate through all Security tokens
    For Each tok As SecurityToken In ctxt.Security.Tokens
      If TypeOf (tok) Is UsernameToken Then
        Dim user As UsernameToken = CType(tok, UsernameToken)
        Return "Hello Authenticated user " + user.Username
      End If
    Next tok
    Return "Hello Liar"

  End Function

  Also, my customauthenticator class (referenced from the web service) is as 
follows:

 

Imports System
Imports System.Security.Permissions
Imports Microsoft.Web.Services3.Security.Tokens

Namespace WSESecurity
  <SecurityPermissionAttribute(SecurityAction.Demand)> _
  Public Class CustomAuthenticator
    Inherits UsernameTokenManager

    ' Returns the password or password equivalent for a user name
    Protected Overrides Function AuthenticateToken(ByVal token As 
UsernameToken) As String

      If token Is Nothing Then
        Throw New ArgumentNullException()
      End If

      ' perform a lookup in your database 
      ' for the user name in 'token.Username'
      ' and return the password as a string. 
      ' If there is no match, return null.
      If token.Username = "wstest" Then
        Return "pass"
      Else
        Return Nothing
      End If

    End Function
  End Class
End Namespace

  

I can't figure out WTH goes wrong, so please, if anyone has any 
idea/tips/suggestions please please HELP me! 

(It's my first time writing a secure web service - newbie on the subject)