An approach is provided for managing a message in a transfer from a computer. A level of security protecting the transfer of the data is determined. The level of security is determined to satisfy or not satisfy a threshold level. If the level of security satisfies the threshold level, the computer is connected and the message is transferred using the level of security. If the level of security does not satisfy the threshold level, then based on the level of security, an action to change the level of security is determined so that the changed level of security satisfies the threshold level. The action changes a method of network layer encryption for the transfer and/or a protocol specifying whether application layer encryption is utilized for the transfer. The action is executed to connect the computer and transfer the message using the changed level of security.