Abstract: A security technique for use in an intelligent network. The security technique provides a method for authorizing access by a process located in an invocation node to an object, or a network resource, located in an execution node. The method includes the steps of granting permission to the invocation node to access the object by transmitting a capability and a signature from the execution node to the invocation node. The capability includes a unique indentifier of the object and access rights to the object. The signature is formed at the execution node by encryption of the capability with an encryption key that is unique to the invocation node and is stored only in the execution node. A request for access to the object is transmitted with the capability and the signature from the invocation node to the execution node. At the execution node, the request is authenticated by encryption of the capability with the encryption key that is associated with the invocation node to form a test signature.