Abstract: A virtual security server enabling a set of applications to access a plurality of security services. In response to a service request from a software application, the virtual security server receive service determines which of the security servers is able to provide the requested service. The virtual security server sends to a selected security server data enabling the selected security server to provide the security service corresponding to the service request. Accordingly, communication between the applications and the security servers is simplified because the application are not required to manage negotiation protocols associated with the security servers and choose the security server(s) appropriate for the required service.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of dynamically representing a multimedia document described in a description language. The invention also relates to the multimedia document itself. The invention is based on the use of ECA-type formalisms, and does not require the use of compiled codes (e.g. codes compiled in Java), as is the case in the state of the art.

Abstract: In a method of securing communication between a first software element and a second software element via a non-secure communication channel in collaboration with a security server, data carried by the communication channel is sent using a method of a security object supplied by the security server.

Abstract: A method of scheduling distributed transactions, on each initiation of a current transaction, identifies, among older transactions in process of execution, operations activated or waiting to be activated of the transactions that conflict with a particular operation of the current transaction. For each particular operation of the current transaction for which a particular number of conflicting operations have been identified, the method associates with the particular operation a counter the value of which is indicative of the number of operations conflicting with the particular operation. It decrements the value of the counter as and when operations conflicting with the particular operation terminate so as to activate the particular operation only when its counter indicates that there are no longer any operations conflicting with it.