OBJECT GATEWAY FOR SECURELY FORWARDING MESSAGES BETWEEN NETWORKS

A network gateway (1005) is described, wherein an object invocation (1020) containing an embedded object reference (1025), which points to a further object (1002), is modified on passing through the gateway. The gateway validates the object invocation and enacts a number of security tests thereon before forwarding it on. In preferred embodiments, the embedded object reference is replaced by an object reference (1035) to a gateway proxy specifically for the further object (1002). The replacement object reference (1035) also includes enough information that the original object reference (1025) can be recovered. The gateway proxy is generated on or after receipt of the invocation (1020). In the event the further object (1002), which was the subject of the object reference, is itself invoked, the invocation is directed to the gateway proxy, which in turn recovers the original object reference and forwards the invocation on to the further object (1002).