---
title: Context Services
framework: GSS
role: collectionGroup
role_heading: API Collection
path: gss/context-services
---

# Context Services

Use context services to manage secure operations between endpoints.

## Overview

Overview You use these flags as input to gss_init_sec_context(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:) to request certain context services. You also receive them as output from both that function and gss_accept_sec_context(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:), indicating which services are actually engaged. Requesting a service does not guarantee its availability. Because these flags represent the bits of an integer, you combine them with a bitwise OR and pull them apart using bitwise AND, as shown below. OM_uint32 req_flags = GSS_C_DELEG_FLAG | GSS_C_MUTUAL_FLAG; OM_uint32 ret_flags = 0; // // Call gss_init_sec_context() with req_flags; get ret_flags back // BOOL deleg  = (ret_flags & GSS_C_DELEG_FLAG)  ? YES : NO; BOOL mutual = (ret_flags & GSS_C_MUTUAL_FLAG) ? YES : NO;

## Topics

### Flags

- [GSS_C_DELEG_FLAG](gss/gss_c_deleg_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_MUTUAL_FLAG](gss/gss_c_mutual_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_REPLAY_FLAG](gss/gss_c_replay_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_SEQUENCE_FLAG](gss/gss_c_sequence_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_CONF_FLAG](gss/gss_c_conf_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_INTEG_FLAG](gss/gss_c_integ_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_ANON_FLAG](gss/gss_c_anon_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_PROT_READY_FLAG](gss/gss_c_prot_ready_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_TRANS_FLAG](gss/gss_c_trans_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_DCE_STYLE](gss/gss_c_dce_style.md)
- [GSS_C_IDENTIFY_FLAG](gss/gss_c_identify_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_EXTENDED_ERROR_FLAG](gss/gss_c_extended_error_flag.md)
- [GSS_C_DELEG_POLICY_FLAG](gss/gss_c_deleg_policy_flag.md)

### Address Families

- [GSS_C_AF_NS](gss/gss_c_af_ns.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_BSC](gss/gss_c_af_bsc.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_DLI](gss/gss_c_af_dli.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_DSS](gss/gss_c_af_dss.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_LAT](gss/gss_c_af_lat.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_NBS](gss/gss_c_af_nbs.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_OSI](gss/gss_c_af_osi.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_PUP](gss/gss_c_af_pup.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_SNA](gss/gss_c_af_sna.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_X25](gss/gss_c_af_x25.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_ECMA](gss/gss_c_af_ecma.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_INET](gss/gss_c_af_inet.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_CCITT](gss/gss_c_af_ccitt.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_CHAOS](gss/gss_c_af_chaos.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_INET6](gss/gss_c_af_inet6.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_LOCAL](gss/gss_c_af_local.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_DECnet](gss/gss_c_af_decnet.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_HYLINK](gss/gss_c_af_hylink.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_UNSPEC](gss/gss_c_af_unspec.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_DATAKIT](gss/gss_c_af_datakit.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_IMPLINK](gss/gss_c_af_implink.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_NULLADDR](gss/gss_c_af_nulladdr.md)
- [GSS_C_AF_APPLETALK](gss/gss_c_af_appletalk.md)

### Apple Source App Keys

- [kGSSICAppleSourceAppPID](gss/kgssicapplesourceapppid.md)
- [kGSSICAppleSourceAppAuditToken](gss/kgssicapplesourceappaudittoken.md)
- [kGSSICAppleSourceAppSigningIdentity](gss/kgssicapplesourceappsigningidentity.md)

### Channel Bindings

- [gss_ctx_id_t](gss/gss_ctx_id_t.md)
- [gss_channel_bindings_struct](gss/gss_channel_bindings_struct.md)
- [gss_channel_bindings_t](gss/gss_channel_bindings_t.md)
- [gss_const_channel_bindings_t](gss/gss_const_channel_bindings_t.md)

### Creation and Deletion

- [gss_init_sec_context(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](gss/gss_init_sec_context(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_accept_sec_context(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](gss/gss_accept_sec_context(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_delete_sec_context(_:_:_:)](gss/gss_delete_sec_context(_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_release_cred(_:_:)](gss/gss_release_cred(_:_:).md)
- [gss_process_context_token(_:_:_:)](gss/gss_process_context_token(_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_set_sec_context_option(_:_:_:_:)](gss/gss_set_sec_context_option(_:_:_:_:).md)

### Inquiry and Limits

- [gss_context_time(_:_:_:)](gss/gss_context_time(_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_inquire_context(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:)](gss/gss_inquire_context(_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_inquire_sec_context_by_oid(_:_:_:_:)](gss/gss_inquire_sec_context_by_oid(_:_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_wrap_size_limit(_:_:_:_:_:_:)](gss/gss_wrap_size_limit(_:_:_:_:_:_:).md)

### Import and Export

- [gss_export_sec_context(_:_:_:)](gss/gss_export_sec_context(_:_:_:).md)
- [gss_import_sec_context(_:_:_:)](gss/gss_import_sec_context(_:_:_:).md)

## See Also

### Memory and Context

- [Allocating and Releasing Objects](gss/allocating-and-releasing-objects.md)
- [Function Status](gss/function-status.md)
- [Buffer Management](gss/buffer-management.md)