Learn how CICS integrates with IBM's Resource Access Control Facility (RACF) for enterprise-grade security administration and access control.
RACF (Resource Access Control Facility) is IBM's comprehensive security system for z/OS. When integrated with CICS, it provides enterprise-grade security administration, centralized user management, and robust access control for all CICS resources including transactions, programs, files, and data.
By the end of this tutorial, you'll understand how CICS integrates with RACF, configure security settings, manage resource classes, and implement proper signon/signoff procedures for enterprise security.
RACF is IBM's primary security system for z/OS that provides comprehensive security services including authentication, authorization, and auditing. Think of RACF as the "security guard" for your entire mainframe system - it controls who can access what resources and keeps detailed records of all security events.
Imagine RACF as a high-tech security system for a large office building. Just like how a security system controls access to different floors, rooms, and sensitive areas, RACF controls access to different parts of your computer system. It checks IDs, maintains lists of who can go where, and keeps detailed logs of everyone's movements.
When someone wants to use a CICS application, RACF checks if they're allowed to do so, just like a security guard checking if someone has permission to enter a restricted area. It's like having a very smart, very thorough security system that never sleeps and remembers everything.
Define users and their basic attributes
Define resources and access permissions
Organize users into groups for easier management
Define who can access specific resources
CICS defines several resource classes in RACF that correspond to different types of CICS resources. Each resource class allows you to control access to specific types of CICS components.
Controls access to CICS transactions. Each transaction ID can have its own RACF profile.
123CICSTRANS.ACCT CICSTRANS.PAYM CICSTRANS.XFER
Controls access to CICS programs. Protects application programs from unauthorized execution.
123CICSPROG.ACCTINQ CICSPROG.PAYMENT CICSPROG.TRANSFER
Controls access to CICS files and data sets. Protects sensitive business data.
123CICSFILE.CUSTOMER CICSFILE.ACCOUNT CICSFILE.TRANSACTION
Controls access to specific data sets used by CICS applications.
123CICSDATA.CUSTOMER.DATA CICSDATA.ACCOUNT.MASTER CICSDATA.TRANSACTION.LOG
Controls access to CICS system resources and administrative functions.
123CICSSYS.CEMT CICSSYS.CEDF CICSSYS.CICSADMIN
The CICS signon/signoff process with RACF involves several steps to authenticate users and establish security contexts. This process ensures that only authorized users can access CICS resources.
User enters user ID and password at terminal or through application
CICS calls RACF to verify user credentials and account status
CICS creates security context with user's RACF attributes
CICS establishes access control based on RACF profiles
User session is established with appropriate security level
User requests signoff or session timeout occurs
CICS releases all resources held by the user
Security context is destroyed and user attributes cleared
Signoff event is logged for security auditing
Effective security administration with CICS and RACF requires proper configuration, regular maintenance, and ongoing monitoring. This section covers the key administrative tasks and best practices.
Key parameters needed to enable RACF integration:
12345SEC=YES /* Enable CICS security */ RACF=YES /* Enable RACF integration */ RACFUSER=YES /* Use RACF for user authentication */ RACFPROF=YES /* Use RACF for resource protection */ RACFAUD=YES /* Enable RACF auditing */
Define CICS resources that will be protected by RACF:
123DEFINE TRANSACTION(ACCT) GROUP(TRANSGRP) DEFINE PROGRAM(ACCTINQ) GROUP(PROGGRP) DEFINE FILE(CUSTOMER) GROUP(FILEGRP)
Create RACF user profiles and groups for CICS users:
123ADDUSER CICSUSER1 DFLTGRP(CICSGRP) ADDGROUP CICSGRP OWNER(SECADMIN) CONNECT CICSUSER1 GROUP(CICSGRP)
CICS RACF integration provides enterprise-grade security for mainframe transaction processing systems. By properly configuring resource classes, implementing robust signon/signoff procedures, and following security administration best practices, organizations can ensure comprehensive protection of their CICS resources and data.
The integration between CICS and RACF enables centralized security management, detailed auditing, and compliance with enterprise security policies, making it an essential component of secure mainframe environments.