Obtaining Context Information in GSS-API

GSS-API provides a function, gss_inquire_context(3GSS), that obtains information about a given security context. Note that the context does not need to be complete.

Given a context handle, gss_inquire_context() provides the following information about context:

• Name of the context initiator.

• Name of the context acceptor.

• Number of seconds for which the context is valid.

• Security mechanism to be used with the context.

• Several context-parameter flags. These flags are the same as the ret_flags argument of the gss_accept_sec_context(3GSS) function. The flags cover delegation, mutual authentication, and so on. See Accepting a Context in GSS-API.

• A flag that indicates whether the inquiring application is the context initiator.

• A flag that indicates whether the context is fully established.