Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates specifying a repository containing authentication information to a plugin in a plugable authentication system. When the system receives a command that requires the repository to be accessed, the system populates a data structure with information including a specifier for the repository. The system passes this data structure into a plugin framework. This enables one or more plugins within the framework to access the specified repository.

Abstract: A method for performing a cryptographic function including calling into an encryption framework to perform the cryptographic function, wherein calling into the encryption framework comprises sending a request to perform the cryptographic function from a kernel consumer, and processing the request and returning the result to the kernel consumer, wherein processing the request comprises determining whether the request is synchronous or asynchronous, and determining which cryptographic provider to use to perform the cryptographic function.

Abstract: A data structure extension system for dynamically adding extensions to existing data structures without interfering with underlying code. The data structure extension system includes logic that allows a programmer to “privately” extend fields of existing entries in data structures in the operating system's kernel without interfering with the functionality of the overall data structure for other applications. An extension pointer disposed in the data structure associates each entry of the data structures extended with a respective extension table. The extension table allows for the dynamic addition of non-intefering interfering fields to the data structures. Each extension table entry has corresponding data stored in an external storage unit.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates specifying a repository containing authentication information to a plugin in a plugable authentication system. When the system receives a command that requires the repository to be accessed, the system populates a data structure with information including a specifier for the repository. The system passes this data structure into a plugin framework. This enables one or more plugins within the framework to access the specified repository.

Abstract: A data structure extension system for dynamically adding extensions to existing data structures without interfering with underlying code. The data structure extension system includes logic that allows a programmer to “privately” extend fields of existing entries in data structures in the operating system's kernel without interfering with the functionality of the overall data structure for other applications. An extension pointer disposed in the data structure associates each entry of the data structures extended with a respective extension table. The extension table allows for the dynamic addition of on-interfering fields to the data structures. Each extension table entry has corresponding data stored in an external storage unit.

Abstract: A multilevel security attribute passing system on a computer operating under a multilevel operating system engaged in stream communications and enabling contemporaneously opening a plurality of sockets having the same port number while meeting the requirements of a predetermined security policy. The security attributes of received data are copied into a credentials structure identified by a pointer in an attribute structure. The security of a data node configured for data stream communication is specified by storing the security attributes of transferred data into a selected data structure and then pointing to the selected data structure with intervening transmission and attribute structures.

Abstract: A multilevel port system on a computer operating under a multilevel operating system to permit contemporaneously opening a plurality of sockets having the same port number while meeting the requirements of an appropriate security policy, thus allowing third party applications to run as if they were unimpeded by the security policy, and methods thereby. The computer system having an operating system adhering to an access control security mechanism. Such systems include government systems wherein a hierarchy of security classification levels are defined (e.g., top secret, secret, classified, unclassified), and commercial systems. Sensitivity labels pursuant to an access control security mechanism include at least hierarchical security classifications, and may include non-hierarchical categories or compartments which represent distinct areas of information in a system.