/*
 * @(#)Guard.java	1.9 00/02/02
 *
 * Copyright 1997-2000 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 * 
 * This software is the proprietary information of Sun Microsystems, Inc.  
 * Use is subject to license terms.
 * 
 */

package java.security;

/**
 * <p> This interface represents a guard, which is an object that is used
 * to protect access to another object.
 *
 * <p>This interface contains a single method, <code>checkGuard</code>,
 * with a single <code>object</code> argument. <code>checkGuard</code> is
 * invoked (by the GuardedObject <code>getObject</code> method)
 * to determine whether or not to allow access to the object.
 *
 * @see GuardedObject
 *
 * @version 1.9 00/02/02
 * @author Roland Schemers
 * @author Li Gong
 */

public interface Guard {

    /**
     * Determines whether or not to allow access to the guarded object
     * <code>object</code>. Returns silently if access is allowed.
     * Otherwise, throws a SecurityException.
     *
     * @param object the object being protected by the guard.
     *
     * @exception SecurityException if access is denied.
     *
     */
    void checkGuard(Object object) throws SecurityException;
}