GSS-API

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

Generic Security Service Application Programming Interface
GSS-API

   <security, programming> (GSS-API) An application level
   interface ({API}) to system security services.  It provides a
   generic interface to services which may be provided by a
   variety of different security mechanisms.  {Vanilla} GSS-API
   supports {security contexts} between two entities (known as
   "principals").

   GSS-API is a draft internet standard which is being developed
   in the {Common Authentication Technology Working Group}
   (cat-wg) of the {Internet Engineering Task Force} (IETF).

   Initial specifications for GSS-API appeared in {RFC 1508} and
   {RFC 1509}.  Subsequent revisions appeared in several draft
   standards documents.

   (http://dstc.qut.edu.au/~barton/work/project.html).

   (1996-05-19)

from V.E.R.A. -- Virtual Entity of Relevant Acronyms (June 2006)

GSSAPI
       Generic Security Service API (RFC 2078, API), "GSS-API"