MESSAGE EXCHANGE IN AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY NETWORK

Messages including encrypted data and having the form of XML documents are exchanged within an information technology network according to Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). Each message includes a session key (encrypted to the public key of the party receiving the message) within the XML document containing the encrypted data, meaning that each message is interpretable in a “stand alone” condition, without reference to some shared state (such as the session key for instance) between the parties involved in the messaging. Tags are used to generate modules within the document, and enable easy and convenient separation of elements of the document for distribution by the SOAP gateway protocol handler to the relevant application.