Self defence in open systems using self authenticating proxies

Most of the methods currently used to protect both users and systems and their objects and servers, involve authentication of principals and access control of these objects and servers. Authentication and access control are usually implemented as two separate mechanisms because they are logically separate functions. Yet there is little benefit in having one without the other. A consistent approach to both of these functions is proposed in this paper. In this new approach, resource management, (another aspect of protection) can be included. By combining the properties of public key encryption with cascading proxies a single mechanism is devised to provide these three aspects of protection.