WS-Security error messages

reference brazil Updated Sep 10, 2026 1 min read r_WS-SecurityErrorMessages.md

An instances produces one of the following error messages when it encounters an issue with a WS-security SOAP message.

Error	Description
Invalid Security Policy Selected. Select an Inbound policy for Inbound Requests.	The default policy name is set to an outbound policy. Set the default policy name to an inbound security policy.
SOAP request not Signed. Policy requires signing.	The SOAP security policy requires signing and the inbound SOAP request is not signed. Either specify a different SOAP security policy or provide the SOAP request with a proper signature.
No profiles to authenticate.	The selected Security policy either does not have any security profiles (X509 or UserNameToken) or the security profiles are inactive. Verify at least one security profile is active.
Unable to verify signed request.	The inbound SOAP request contains an invalid signature. The SOAP request changed after being signed.
Failed to extract principal(s) from request.	The SOAP request has either been tampered or was not well formed. ServiceNow cannot extract credentials to authenticate the request.
Failed to authenticate WS-security, unknown type.	The SOAP request contains an unsupported security profile. Resend the request with a supported security profile type: X509 or UsernameToken.
Failed to authenticate WS-security.	ServiceNow failed to authenticate against the provided profile credentials. Verify that the SOAP request is using the proper credentials.

Parent Topic:SOAP web service

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---
title: WS-Security error messages
description: An instances produces one of the following error messages when it encounters an issue with a WS-security SOAP message.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/api-reference/web-services/r\_WS-SecurityErrorMessages.html
release: brazil
product: Web Services
classification: web-services
topic_type: reference
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 1
breadcrumb: [SOAP web service, Inbound, Web services, API implementation, API implementation and reference]
---

# WS-Security error messages

An instances produces one of the following error messages when it encounters an issue with a WS-security SOAP message.

|Error|Description|
|-----|-----------|
|Invalid Security Policy Selected. Select an Inbound policy for Inbound Requests.|The default policy name is set to an outbound policy. [Set the default policy name](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/api-reference/web-services/t_SetTheSOAPDefaultSecurityPolicy.md) to an inbound security policy.|
|SOAP request not Signed. Policy requires signing.|The [SOAP security policy](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/api-reference/web-services/c_SOAPWebService.md) requires signing and the inbound SOAP request is not signed. Either specify a different SOAP security policy or provide the SOAP request with a proper signature.|
|No profiles to authenticate.|The selected Security policy either does not have any security profiles \(X509 or UserNameToken\) or the security profiles are inactive. Verify at least one security profile is active.|
|Unable to verify signed request.|The inbound SOAP request contains an invalid signature. The SOAP request changed after being signed.|
|Failed to extract principal\(s\) from request.|The SOAP request has either been tampered or was not well formed. ServiceNow cannot extract credentials to authenticate the request.|
|Failed to authenticate WS-security, unknown type.|The SOAP request contains an unsupported security profile. Resend the request with a supported [security profile type](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/api-reference/web-services/c_SOAPWebService.md): X509 or UsernameToken.|
|Failed to authenticate WS-security.|ServiceNow failed to authenticate against the provided profile credentials. Verify that the SOAP request is using the proper credentials.|

**Parent Topic:**[SOAP web service](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/api-reference/web-services/c_SOAPWebService.md)