1. In a distributed computing system environment that includes a plurality of computing devices that each comprise a processor and system memory, a method of transmitting a secure message from a first party to a second party, the first party using a first cryptographic technology and the second party using a second cryptographic technology, wherein the first and second parties are within a generic security framework and wherein the generic security framework abstracts cryptographic technologies and license formats, the method comprising: determining that a message is to be sent to the second party; a processor creating at least one security credential using a modular security policy and creating an encrypted message from the message, wherein the modular security policy: establishes security rules and procedures of the generic security framework; implements a security policy of the generic security framework with one or more protocols and transports; and describes security aspects, including properties, capabilities, requirements and interaction semantics, of a plurality of modular security components which define behaviors corresponding to the first and second cryptographic technologies used by the first and second parties, and which are written in a security policy language as selectable, deployable and combinable security modules and which enables the security components to be negotiated, partitioned and modified, and rather than being hard-coded, and which include: a store component for storing, retrieving, encrypting, and managing credentials; an integrity component for signing portions of a message and for verifying integrity and signatures of received messages; and a confidentiality component for encrypting and decrypting portions of a message; and formatting a second message with a markup language wherein the markup language comprises at least one header and wherein the second message contains the encrypted message; inserting at least the one security credential into the at least one header in the markup language in the second message; and transmitting the second message to the second party and wherein the second party can use the modular security policy to decrypt and verify the message.
1. In a distributed computing system environment that includes a plurality of computing devices that each comprise a processor and system memory, a method of transmitting a secure message from a first party to a second party, the first party using a first cryptographic technology and the second party using a second cryptographic technology, wherein the first and second parties are within a generic security framework and wherein the generic security framework abstracts cryptographic technologies and license formats, the method comprising: determining that a message is to be sent to the second party; a processor creating at least one security credential using a modular security policy and creating an encrypted message from the message, wherein the modular security policy: establishes security rules and procedures of the generic security framework; implements a security policy of the generic security framework with one or more protocols and transports; and describes security aspects, including properties, capabilities, requirements and interaction semantics, of a plurality of modular security components which define behaviors corresponding to the first and second cryptographic technologies used by the first and second parties, and which are written in a security policy language as selectable, deployable and combinable security modules and which enables the security components to be negotiated, partitioned and modified, and rather than being hard-coded, and which include: a store component for storing, retrieving, encrypting, and managing credentials; an integrity component for signing portions of a message and for verifying integrity and signatures of received messages; and a confidentiality component for encrypting and decrypting portions of a message; and formatting a second message with a markup language wherein the markup language comprises at least one header and wherein the second message contains the encrypted message; inserting at least the one security credential into the at least one header in the markup language in the second message; and transmitting the second message to the second party and wherein the second party can use the modular security policy to decrypt and verify the message. 13. The method of claim 1 , wherein: the security policy language comprises at least some rule-based components.