Master CICS SSL/TLS security including digital certificates, key ring management, and secure communication protocols for enterprise applications.
SSL/TLS (Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security) security in CICS provides encrypted communication channels for web services, APIs, and client connections. It ensures data confidentiality, integrity, and authentication in modern CICS applications that communicate over networks.
By the end of this tutorial, you'll understand SSL/TLS concepts, digital certificate management, key ring configuration, and how to implement secure communication in CICS applications.
SSL/TLS is a cryptographic protocol that provides secure communication over computer networks. It encrypts data transmission, authenticates communicating parties, and ensures data integrity between clients and servers.
Think of SSL/TLS like a secure envelope for your mail. When you send a letter through regular mail, anyone can read it if they intercept it. But if you put it in a special secure envelope that only the intended recipient can open, your message stays private.
SSL/TLS does the same thing for computer communications. When your CICS application talks to a web browser or another system, SSL/TLS wraps the conversation in a secure "envelope" that only the intended parties can understand. It also verifies that you're really talking to who you think you're talking to, not an impostor.
Data is encrypted during transmission, making it unreadable to unauthorized parties.
Verifies the identity of communicating parties using digital certificates.
Ensures data hasn't been tampered with during transmission.
Secure generation, exchange, and management of encryption keys.
Digital certificates are electronic documents that bind a public key to an identity. In CICS, they're used to authenticate servers and clients, establish secure connections, and enable encrypted communication.
Used by CICS servers to authenticate themselves to clients. Required for HTTPS and secure web services.
1234567891011Server Certificate Components: - Subject: Server hostname (e.g., cics.company.com) - Issuer: Certificate Authority (CA) - Public Key: For encryption and verification - Validity Period: Expiration date - Digital Signature: CA's signature Example: Subject: CN=cics.company.com, O=Company Inc Issuer: CN=Company Root CA Valid: 2024-01-01 to 2025-01-01
Used by clients to authenticate themselves to CICS servers. Optional but provides mutual authentication.
1234567891011Client Certificate Components: - Subject: User identity (e.g., user@company.com) - Issuer: Certificate Authority (CA) - Public Key: For encryption and verification - Validity Period: Expiration date - Digital Signature: CA's signature Example: Subject: CN=john.doe@company.com, OU=IT Issuer: CN=Company Employee CA Valid: 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31
Root and intermediate CA certificates that establish trust chains for validating other certificates.
1234567891011CA Certificate Hierarchy: Root CA (Self-signed) ├── Intermediate CA 1 │ ├── Server Certificates │ └── Client Certificates └── Intermediate CA 2 ├── Server Certificates └── Client Certificates Trust Chain: Server Cert → Intermediate CA → Root CA
Key ring management in CICS involves creating, maintaining, and managing digital certificates and private keys stored in RACF key rings. This is essential for SSL/TLS functionality and security.
Secret keys used for decryption and digital signing. Must be kept secure and protected.
1234567891011Private Key Properties: - Algorithm: RSA, ECDSA, etc. - Key Size: 2048-bit, 4096-bit, etc. - Usage: Digital signature, key agreement - Protection: Password protected, hardware security module Example: LABEL: CICS_SERVER_KEY TYPE: PRIVATE KEY ALGORITHM: RSA SIZE: 2048 bits
Public certificates that contain public keys and identity information. Used for authentication and encryption.
123456789101112Certificate Properties: - Subject: Entity being certified - Issuer: Certificate Authority - Serial Number: Unique identifier - Validity Period: Start and end dates - Public Key: For encryption/verification Example: LABEL: CICS_SERVER_CERT TYPE: CERTIFICATE SUBJECT: CN=cics.company.com ISSUER: CN=Company Root CA
CA certificates that establish trust chains for validating other certificates.
1234567891011CA Certificate Properties: - Root CA: Self-signed, highest trust level - Intermediate CA: Signed by root CA - Trust Chain: Path from certificate to root - Revocation: Certificate revocation lists (CRL) Example: LABEL: COMPANY_ROOT_CA TYPE: CERTIFICATE SUBJECT: CN=Company Root CA ISSUER: CN=Company Root CA (self-signed)
Create new key rings for SSL/TLS operations:
123RACDCERT ADDRING(CICS.SSL.RING) RACDCERT ID(CICSUSER) ADDRING(CICS.SSL.RING) RACDCERT ID(CICSUSER) LISTRING(CICS.SSL.RING)
Install certificates and private keys into key rings:
123456789RACDCERT ID(CICSUSER) ADDRING(CICS.SSL.RING) + LABEL('CICS_SERVER_CERT') + CERTAUTH + WITHLABEL('COMPANY_ROOT_CA') RACDCERT ID(CICSUSER) ADDRING(CICS.SSL.RING) + LABEL('CICS_SERVER_KEY') + PRIVATE + WITHLABEL('CICS_SERVER_CERT')
Implementing secure communication in CICS involves configuring SSL/TLS parameters, defining secure URIMAPs, and ensuring proper certificate management for web services and APIs.
Configure URIMAPs with SSL/TLS parameters for secure web services:
12345678910DEFINE URIMAP(SECUREAPI) + GROUP(URIMAPGRP) + URIPATH('/api/secure') + USAGE(HTTP) + ENABLESTATUS(ENABLED) + SSL(ON) + SSLPORT(9443) + KEYRING(CICS.SSL.RING) + CERTIFICATE(CICS_SERVER_CERT) + CIPHERSUITE(TLS_RSA_WITH_AES_256_CBC_SHA256)
Define security policies for SSL/TLS connections:
12345678Security Policy Settings: - Minimum TLS Version: TLS 1.2 - Maximum TLS Version: TLS 1.3 - Cipher Suites: Strong encryption only - Client Authentication: Optional - Certificate Validation: Required - Session Timeout: 30 minutes - Perfect Forward Secrecy: Enabled
Enable comprehensive monitoring and logging for SSL/TLS operations:
1234567891011121314SSL/TLS Monitoring: - Connection attempts and failures - Certificate validation results - Cipher suite negotiations - Session establishment and termination - Security policy violations - Performance metrics Logging Configuration: - SSL handshake details - Certificate information - Error conditions - Security events - Audit trail maintenance
SSL/TLS security in CICS provides essential protection for modern web-based applications and APIs. By implementing proper digital certificate management, key ring administration, and secure communication protocols, organizations can ensure encrypted, authenticated, and integrity-protected data transmission.
The combination of strong encryption, proper certificate management, and comprehensive monitoring provides a robust security foundation for CICS applications that communicate over networks, ensuring compliance with security regulations and protection against various cyber threats.