Configuration Guide for Kerberos Client Products on HP-UX 11.0 | HP-UX 11i v1 | HP-UX 11i v1.6 | HP-UX 11i v2

Introduction to the Kerberos Products and GSS-API
Generic Security Service Application Programming Interface (GSS-API)
Chapter 2 61
Generic Security Service Application
Programming Interface (GSS-API)
The GSS-API (Generic Security Services - Application Programming
Interface) provides authentication, integrity, and confidentiality services
to the calling application.
As shown in Figure 2-4, “GSS-API Library,” libgss.sl is a shared
library independent of underlying security mechanisms. The figure
illustrates how the underlying security mechanisms -- such as Kerberos,
SPKM (Simple Public Key Management), etc. -- work with respect to the
GSS-API library. If application developers use GSS-APIs, then they do
not have to change the application’s code whenever the underlying
security mechanism is changed. Instead, the developer can change the
underlying security mechanism at runtime using the configuration
options.
Figure 2-4 GSS-API Library