1. A computer-implemented method of selecting among a plurality of endpoint policy alternatives to apply to a message conveyed over a data communications network, the method comprising: configuring a computer system having at least one memory and at least one processor to perform the following steps: assigning a score to each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives, each of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives comprising a plurality of policy assertions, and the score being a sum of predefined weights assigned to each of the plurality of policy assertions, wherein each predefined weight is represented by a unique bit sequence that distinguishes each of the plurality of policy assertions to which the unique bit sequence is assigned from each of the other of the plurality of policy assertions; and selecting according to a predetermined selection criterion one of the plurality of endpoint policy alternatives based upon the assigned scores.