ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the basic syntax standards that are used to create standardized data structures for the security-related protocols that are used to exchange this data. It also discusses the main standards-making bodies that operate in information security and provides an overview of the focus of each body. The component security architecture is the tradesman’s view of life – the specialized tools and product components of the enterprise security architecture. At the component layer of any architecture, it is essential that the individual components selected from different vendors should be capable of being plugged together to build integrated structures, something that has historically been difficult to achieve. The best way to achieve integration of individual components is to select components that have compatible interfaces, usually internationally standardized interfaces or de facto industry standardized interfaces to support ease of integration and inter-operability.
