Patent ID: 7809938

Claim:
In a distributed computing system environment that includes a plurality of computing devices that each comprise a processor and system memory, a method of transmitting a message within a generic security framework, wherein the generic security framework is architecture, transport, and cryptographic technology independent, the method comprising: receiving from a first entity a message addressed to a second entity, wherein the message is transported with a first transport and formatted in accordance with a first cryptographic technology; determining that the message is to be transmitted to the second entity; a processor identifying a second transport and a second cryptographic technology required by the second entity from a modular security policy, wherein the modular security policy: establishes security rules and procedures of the generic security framework; implements a security policy of the generic security framework with one or more protocols and transports; and describes security aspects, including properties, capabilities, requirements and interaction semantics, of a plurality of modular security components which define behaviors corresponding to use of transports and cryptographic technologies by the first and second entities and which are written in a security policy language as selectable, deployable and combinable security modules thereby enabling the modular security components to be negotiated, partitioned and modified, rather than being hard-coded, and which include: an identity component for authenticating a principal and providing authoritative proof of identity; an admission component for mapping external credentials to internal credentials; a permission component for pre-fetching rights, capabilities and access control information; and a store component for storing, retrieving, encrypting, and managing credentials; and transmitting the message to the second entity using the transport and cryptographic technology required by the second entity.