A policy based software component system (24) for modifying software component behavior includes an interceptor (34) for intercepting an interface event being transmitted from a software application (14) comprising software components (20, 22). A rules database (32, 40) stores software component modifying rules, and an adaptor (35) modifies the interface event based on the software component modifying rules stored in the rules database (32, 40). A policy engine (36) attempts to match the interface event with the software component modifying rules stored in the rules database (32, 40), and subsequently coordinates the modification of the interface event by the adaptor (35) when the policy engine (36) matches the interface event with at least one of the software component modifying rules stored in the rules database (32, 40).