Runtime mechanism for flexible messaging security protocols

A runtime method to process messages containing security information, the method comprising:

• configuring an application to process messages containing security information, the configuring comprising:
• creating a data structure to store security information of network messages;
• and
• storing security information in the data structure, the security information including a specification of a method to select a security token of a requester when multiple security tokens are contained in network messages;
• dynamically linking to a runtime module;
• applying the method to select a security token of a requester to select a security token from a message;
• retrieving a cryptographic key based upon information provided by the security token;
• storing security information in temporary storage based upon the security token and the cryptographic key;
• and
• decrypting a portion of the message with the cryptographic key.

An apparatus to handle messages containing security information, the apparatus comprising:

• a storage to store security information of network messages, the security information to include a specification of a cryptographic key, a specification of a format to represent information about the cryptographic key, and a specification of a method to select a security token of a requestor when multiple security tokens are contained in network messages;
• a linker to dynamically link to a runtime module and to invoke the runtime module;
• a key locator to identify a cryptographic key based upon the specification of a cryptographic key in the storage;
• a token pool to store security information based upon the identification of the cryptographic key;
• and
• a token generator to construct a security token based upon the stored security information.

A computer program product to process messages containing security information, the computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

• configure an application to process messages containing security information, the configuring comprising:
• creating a data structure to store security information of network messages;
• and
• storing security information in the data structure, the security information including a specification of a method to select a security token of a requestor when multiple security tokens are contained in network messages;
• dynamically link to a runtime module;
• apply the method to select a security token to select a security token from a message;
• retrieve a cryptographic key based upon information provided by the security token;
• store security information in temporary storage based upon the security token and the cryptographic key;
• and
• decrypt a portion of the message with the cryptographic key.