A system to validate a request for web services which includes a digital certificate is provided. The system includes a first certification authority that provides a public encryption key and a certificate revocation list in response to requests. The system also includes a certification revocation list component that determines whether a digital certificate is named in the certification revocation list, a certificate verification component that determines whether a digital certificate is valid, a plurality of verifier components that determine the validity of a request for web services and each of which operates in accordance with a different one of a plurality of OASIS Web Services Security versions. The system also includes a management component to determine the version of the OASIS Web Service Security version of the web services request and to select an appropriate verifier component.