diff --git a/nvflare/lighter/dummy_project.yml b/nvflare/lighter/dummy_project.yml
index e16aef44df..3acb1aff99 100644
--- a/nvflare/lighter/dummy_project.yml
+++ b/nvflare/lighter/dummy_project.yml
@@ -67,12 +67,12 @@ builders:
         args:
           sp_end_point: server1:8002:8003
 
-      docker_image: localhost/nvflare:0.0.1
-
-  - path: nvflare.lighter.impl.docker.DockerBuilder
-    args:
-      docker_image: localhost/nvflare:0.0.1
-      base_image: python:3.10
-      requirements_file: docker_compose_requirements.txt
+#      docker_image: localhost/nvflare:0.0.1
+#
+#  - path: nvflare.lighter.impl.docker.DockerBuilder
+#    args:
+#      docker_image: localhost/nvflare:0.0.1
+#      base_image: python:3.10
+#      requirements_file: docker_compose_requirements.txt
   - path: nvflare.lighter.impl.cert.CertBuilder
   - path: nvflare.lighter.impl.signature.SignatureBuilder
diff --git a/nvflare/private/fed/simulator/simulator_server.py b/nvflare/private/fed/simulator/simulator_server.py
index 69d1f16df1..881eed6039 100644
--- a/nvflare/private/fed/simulator/simulator_server.py
+++ b/nvflare/private/fed/simulator/simulator_server.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 from ..server.fed_server import FederatedServer
 from ..server.server_engine import ServerEngine
+from ..utils.identity_utils import IdentityAsserter
 
 
 class SimulatorServerEngine(ServerEngine):
@@ -77,6 +78,22 @@ def create_job_processing_context_properties(self, workspace, job_id):
         return {}
 
 
+class SimulatorIdentityAsserter(IdentityAsserter):
+
+    def __init__(self, private_key_file: str, cert_file: str):
+        self.private_key_file = private_key_file
+        self.cert_file = cert_file
+
+    def sign_common_name(self, nonce: str) -> str:
+        return nonce
+
+    def sign(self, content, return_str: bool) -> str:
+        return "signature"
+
+    def verify_signature(self, content, signature) -> bool:
+        return True
+
+
 class SimulatorServer(FederatedServer):
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -143,6 +160,9 @@ def _create_server_engine(self, args, snapshot_persistor):
             server=self, args=args, client_manager=self.client_manager, snapshot_persistor=snapshot_persistor
         )
 
+    def _get_id_asserter(self):
+        return SimulatorIdentityAsserter("private_key_file", "cert_file")
+
     def deploy(self, args, grpc_args=None, secure_train=False):
         super(FederatedServer, self).deploy(args, grpc_args, secure_train)
         os.makedirs(os.path.join(args.workspace, "local"), exist_ok=True)