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COBOL Access Control Lists

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Introduction to Access Control Lists in COBOL

Access Control Lists (ACLs) in COBOL represent a fundamental security mechanism that governs who can access specific resources, perform certain operations, and utilize particular program functions. In enterprise environments, ACLs are essential for maintaining data integrity, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and protecting sensitive business information.

COBOL access control systems typically involve:

  • User authentication and identification
  • Authorization and permission verification
  • Resource access control and protection
  • Audit logging and security monitoring
  • Integration with enterprise security systems
  • Compliance with regulatory requirements

Understanding ACL implementation is crucial for developing secure, enterprise-grade COBOL applications that meet modern security standards.

Fundamental Access Control Concepts

Before implementing access control lists, it's important to understand the fundamental concepts that govern security in COBOL environments.

Authentication vs Authorization

Authentication verifies who a user is, while authorization determines what that user can do. Both are essential components of access control:

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. ACCESS-CONTROL-DEMO.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 USER-CREDENTIALS.
   05 USER-ID         PIC X(8).
   05 USER-PASSWORD   PIC X(20).
   05 USER-ROLE       PIC X(10).
 
01 ACCESS-CONTROL.
   05 AUTHENTICATED   PIC X(1) VALUE 'N'.
   05 AUTHORIZED      PIC X(1) VALUE 'N'.
   05 ACCESS-LEVEL    PIC 9(1).
 
01 SECURITY-CHECKS.
   05 LOGIN-ATTEMPTS   PIC 9(2) VALUE ZERO.
   05 MAX-ATTEMPTS     PIC 9(2) VALUE 3.
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    PERFORM AUTHENTICATE-USER
    IF AUTHENTICATED = 'Y'
       PERFORM AUTHORIZE-USER
       IF AUTHORIZED = 'Y'
          PERFORM GRANT-ACCESS
       ELSE
          PERFORM DENY-ACCESS
       END-IF
    ELSE
       PERFORM DENY-ACCESS
    END-IF
    STOP RUN.
 
AUTHENTICATE-USER.
    DISPLAY "=== User Authentication ==="
    DISPLAY "Enter User ID: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT USER-ID
    
    DISPLAY "Enter Password: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT USER-PASSWORD
    
    * Simple authentication check (in real systems, use secure methods)
    IF USER-ID = "ADMIN" AND USER-PASSWORD = "SECURE123"
       MOVE 'Y' TO AUTHENTICATED
       MOVE "ADMIN" TO USER-ROLE
       DISPLAY "Authentication successful"
    ELSE
       ADD 1 TO LOGIN-ATTEMPTS
       DISPLAY "Authentication failed"
    END-IF.
 
AUTHORIZE-USER.
    DISPLAY "=== User Authorization ==="
    EVALUATE USER-ROLE
       WHEN "ADMIN"
          MOVE 'Y' TO AUTHORIZED
          MOVE 9 TO ACCESS-LEVEL
          DISPLAY "Admin access granted"
       WHEN "USER"
          MOVE 'Y' TO AUTHORIZED
          MOVE 5 TO ACCESS-LEVEL
          DISPLAY "User access granted"
       WHEN OTHER
          MOVE 'N' TO AUTHORIZED
          MOVE 0 TO ACCESS-LEVEL
          DISPLAY "Access denied - invalid role"
    END-EVALUATE.
 
GRANT-ACCESS.
    DISPLAY "=== Access Granted ==="
    DISPLAY "User: " USER-ID
    DISPLAY "Role: " USER-ROLE
    DISPLAY "Access Level: " ACCESS-LEVEL
    DISPLAY "System access granted successfully".
 
DENY-ACCESS.
    DISPLAY "=== Access Denied ==="
    DISPLAY "Access denied for user: " USER-ID
    DISPLAY "Please contact system administrator".

Implementing Basic Access Control Lists

Basic ACL implementation involves creating data structures to store access permissions and implementing routines to check these permissions.

Simple ACL Data Structure

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DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 ACCESS-CONTROL-LIST.
   05 ACL-ENTRY OCCURS 100 TIMES.
      10 ACL-USER-ID      PIC X(8).
      10 ACL-RESOURCE     PIC X(20).
      10 ACL-PERMISSIONS  PIC X(10).
      10 ACL-ACCESS-LEVEL PIC 9(1).
 
01 ACL-INDEX            PIC 9(3).
01 ACL-COUNT            PIC 9(3) VALUE 5.
 
01 CURRENT-USER.
   05 USER-ID           PIC X(8).
   05 USER-ROLE         PIC X(10).
   05 USER-DEPT         PIC X(15).
 
01 RESOURCE-REQUEST.
   05 REQUESTED-RESOURCE PIC X(20).
   05 REQUESTED-ACTION   PIC X(10).
   05 ACCESS-GRANTED     PIC X(1).
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    PERFORM INITIALIZE-ACL
    PERFORM GET-USER-CREDENTIALS
    PERFORM CHECK-RESOURCE-ACCESS
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZE-ACL.
    * Initialize ACL entries
    MOVE "ADMIN001" TO ACL-USER-ID(1)
    MOVE "CUSTOMER-DB" TO ACL-RESOURCE(1)
    MOVE "READ,WRITE" TO ACL-PERMISSIONS(1)
    MOVE 9 TO ACL-ACCESS-LEVEL(1)
    
    MOVE "USER001" TO ACL-USER-ID(2)
    MOVE "CUSTOMER-DB" TO ACL-RESOURCE(2)
    MOVE "READ" TO ACL-PERMISSIONS(2)
    MOVE 5 TO ACL-ACCESS-LEVEL(2)
    
    MOVE "ADMIN001" TO ACL-USER-ID(3)
    MOVE "FINANCIAL-DB" TO ACL-RESOURCE(3)
    MOVE "READ,WRITE" TO ACL-PERMISSIONS(3)
    MOVE 9 TO ACL-ACCESS-LEVEL(3)
    
    MOVE "USER001" TO ACL-USER-ID(4)
    MOVE "FINANCIAL-DB" TO ACL-RESOURCE(4)
    MOVE "NONE" TO ACL-PERMISSIONS(4)
    MOVE 0 TO ACL-ACCESS-LEVEL(4)
    
    MOVE "MANAGER01" TO ACL-USER-ID(5)
    MOVE "REPORTS" TO ACL-RESOURCE(5)
    MOVE "READ" TO ACL-PERMISSIONS(5)
    MOVE 7 TO ACL-ACCESS-LEVEL(5).
 
GET-USER-CREDENTIALS.
    DISPLAY "=== Access Control System ==="
    DISPLAY "Enter User ID: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT USER-ID
    
    DISPLAY "Enter User Role: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT USER-ROLE
    
    DISPLAY "Enter Department: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT USER-DEPT.
 
CHECK-RESOURCE-ACCESS.
    DISPLAY "Enter resource to access: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT REQUESTED-RESOURCE
    
    DISPLAY "Enter action requested: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT REQUESTED-ACTION
    
    PERFORM SEARCH-ACL
    PERFORM DISPLAY-ACCESS-RESULT.
 
SEARCH-ACL.
    MOVE 'N' TO ACCESS-GRANTED
    PERFORM VARYING ACL-INDEX FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL ACL-INDEX > ACL-COUNT
       IF ACL-USER-ID(ACL-INDEX) = USER-ID
          IF ACL-RESOURCE(ACL-INDEX) = REQUESTED-RESOURCE
             IF ACL-PERMISSIONS(ACL-INDEX) CONTAINS REQUESTED-ACTION
                MOVE 'Y' TO ACCESS-GRANTED
                EXIT PERFORM
             END-IF
          END-IF
       END-IF
    END-PERFORM.
 
DISPLAY-ACCESS-RESULT.
    IF ACCESS-GRANTED = 'Y'
       DISPLAY "Access GRANTED to " REQUESTED-RESOURCE
       DISPLAY "Action: " REQUESTED-ACTION
       DISPLAY "Access Level: " ACL-ACCESS-LEVEL(ACL-INDEX)
    ELSE
       DISPLAY "Access DENIED to " REQUESTED-RESOURCE
       DISPLAY "Action: " REQUESTED-ACTION
       DISPLAY "User does not have required permissions"
    END-IF.

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Role-Based Access Control is a more sophisticated approach that assigns permissions to roles rather than individual users, making management more efficient and scalable.

RBAC Implementation

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. RBAC-SYSTEM.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 ROLE-DEFINITIONS.
   05 ROLE OCCURS 10 TIMES.
      10 ROLE-NAME        PIC X(15).
      10 ROLE-DESCRIPTION PIC X(50).
      10 ROLE-PERMISSIONS PIC X(100).
 
01 USER-ROLE-ASSIGNMENTS.
   05 USER-ROLE OCCURS 50 TIMES.
      10 USER-ID          PIC X(8).
      10 ASSIGNED-ROLE    PIC X(15).
      10 ASSIGNMENT-DATE  PIC 9(8).
 
01 RESOURCE-PERMISSIONS.
   05 RESOURCE OCCURS 20 TIMES.
      10 RESOURCE-NAME    PIC X(20).
      10 RESOURCE-TYPE    PIC X(10).
      10 REQUIRED-ROLE    PIC X(15).
      10 REQUIRED-LEVEL   PIC 9(1).
 
01 SYSTEM-CONTROL.
   05 ROLE-COUNT          PIC 9(2) VALUE 4.
   05 USER-ROLE-COUNT     PIC 9(2) VALUE 6.
   05 RESOURCE-COUNT      PIC 9(2) VALUE 5.
 
01 CURRENT-SESSION.
   05 SESSION-USER        PIC X(8).
   05 SESSION-ROLE        PIC X(15).
   05 SESSION-LEVEL       PIC 9(1).
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    PERFORM INITIALIZE-RBAC-SYSTEM
    PERFORM AUTHENTICATE-SESSION
    PERFORM PROCESS-RESOURCE-REQUEST
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZE-RBAC-SYSTEM.
    * Define roles
    MOVE "ADMINISTRATOR" TO ROLE-NAME(1)
    MOVE "Full system access" TO ROLE-DESCRIPTION(1)
    MOVE "READ,WRITE,DELETE,EXECUTE,ADMIN" TO ROLE-PERMISSIONS(1)
    
    MOVE "MANAGER" TO ROLE-NAME(2)
    MOVE "Management level access" TO ROLE-DESCRIPTION(2)
    MOVE "READ,WRITE,EXECUTE" TO ROLE-PERMISSIONS(2)
    
    MOVE "USER" TO ROLE-NAME(3)
    MOVE "Standard user access" TO ROLE-DESCRIPTION(3)
    MOVE "READ,EXECUTE" TO ROLE-PERMISSIONS(3)
    
    MOVE "GUEST" TO ROLE-NAME(4)
    MOVE "Limited read-only access" TO ROLE-DESCRIPTION(4)
    MOVE "READ" TO ROLE-PERMISSIONS(4)
    
    * Define user-role assignments
    MOVE "ADMIN001" TO USER-ID(1)
    MOVE "ADMINISTRATOR" TO ASSIGNED-ROLE(1)
    MOVE 20240101 TO ASSIGNMENT-DATE(1)
    
    MOVE "MGR001" TO USER-ID(2)
    MOVE "MANAGER" TO ASSIGNED-ROLE(2)
    MOVE 20240101 TO ASSIGNMENT-DATE(2)
    
    MOVE "USER001" TO USER-ID(3)
    MOVE "USER" TO ASSIGNED-ROLE(3)
    MOVE 20240101 TO ASSIGNMENT-DATE(3)
    
    MOVE "USER002" TO USER-ID(4)
    MOVE "USER" TO ASSIGNED-ROLE(4)
    MOVE 20240101 TO ASSIGNMENT-DATE(4)
    
    MOVE "GUEST001" TO USER-ID(5)
    MOVE "GUEST" TO ASSIGNED-ROLE(5)
    MOVE 20240101 TO ASSIGNMENT-DATE(5)
    
    MOVE "MGR002" TO USER-ID(6)
    MOVE "MANAGER" TO ASSIGNED-ROLE(6)
    MOVE 20240101 TO ASSIGNMENT-DATE(6)
    
    * Define resources
    MOVE "CUSTOMER-DB" TO RESOURCE-NAME(1)
    MOVE "DATABASE" TO RESOURCE-TYPE(1)
    MOVE "USER" TO REQUIRED-ROLE(1)
    MOVE 5 TO REQUIRED-LEVEL(1)
    
    MOVE "FINANCIAL-DB" TO RESOURCE-NAME(2)
    MOVE "DATABASE" TO RESOURCE-TYPE(2)
    MOVE "MANAGER" TO REQUIRED-ROLE(2)
    MOVE 7 TO REQUIRED-LEVEL(2)
    
    MOVE "ADMIN-PANEL" TO RESOURCE-NAME(3)
    MOVE "APPLICATION" TO RESOURCE-TYPE(3)
    MOVE "ADMINISTRATOR" TO REQUIRED-ROLE(3)
    MOVE 9 TO REQUIRED-LEVEL(3)
    
    MOVE "REPORTS" TO RESOURCE-NAME(4)
    MOVE "APPLICATION" TO RESOURCE-TYPE(4)
    MOVE "MANAGER" TO REQUIRED-ROLE(4)
    MOVE 7 TO REQUIRED-LEVEL(4)
    
    MOVE "PUBLIC-DATA" TO RESOURCE-NAME(5)
    MOVE "DATABASE" TO RESOURCE-TYPE(5)
    MOVE "GUEST" TO REQUIRED-ROLE(5)
    MOVE 1 TO REQUIRED-LEVEL(5).
 
AUTHENTICATE-SESSION.
    DISPLAY "=== RBAC Authentication ==="
    DISPLAY "Enter User ID: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT SESSION-USER
    
    PERFORM FIND-USER-ROLE
    IF SESSION-ROLE NOT = SPACES
       DISPLAY "Authentication successful"
       DISPLAY "User: " SESSION-USER
       DISPLAY "Role: " SESSION-ROLE
       PERFORM DETERMINE-SESSION-LEVEL
    ELSE
       DISPLAY "Authentication failed - user not found"
       STOP RUN
    END-IF.
 
FIND-USER-ROLE.
    MOVE SPACES TO SESSION-ROLE
    PERFORM VARYING ACL-INDEX FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL ACL-INDEX > USER-ROLE-COUNT
       IF USER-ID(ACL-INDEX) = SESSION-USER
          MOVE ASSIGNED-ROLE(ACL-INDEX) TO SESSION-ROLE
          EXIT PERFORM
       END-IF
    END-PERFORM.
 
DETERMINE-SESSION-LEVEL.
    PERFORM VARYING ACL-INDEX FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL ACL-INDEX > ROLE-COUNT
       IF ROLE-NAME(ACL-INDEX) = SESSION-ROLE
          EVALUATE SESSION-ROLE
             WHEN "ADMINISTRATOR"
                MOVE 9 TO SESSION-LEVEL
             WHEN "MANAGER"
                MOVE 7 TO SESSION-LEVEL
             WHEN "USER"
                MOVE 5 TO SESSION-LEVEL
             WHEN "GUEST"
                MOVE 1 TO SESSION-LEVEL
          END-EVALUATE
          EXIT PERFORM
       END-IF
    END-PERFORM.
 
PROCESS-RESOURCE-REQUEST.
    DISPLAY "Enter resource to access: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT REQUESTED-RESOURCE
    
    PERFORM CHECK-RBAC-ACCESS
    PERFORM DISPLAY-RBAC-RESULT.
 
CHECK-RBAC-ACCESS.
    MOVE 'N' TO ACCESS-GRANTED
    PERFORM VARYING ACL-INDEX FROM 1 BY 1
       UNTIL ACL-INDEX > RESOURCE-COUNT
       IF RESOURCE-NAME(ACL-INDEX) = REQUESTED-RESOURCE
          IF REQUIRED-ROLE(ACL-INDEX) = SESSION-ROLE
             IF SESSION-LEVEL >= REQUIRED-LEVEL(ACL-INDEX)
                MOVE 'Y' TO ACCESS-GRANTED
             END-IF
          END-IF
          EXIT PERFORM
       END-IF
    END-PERFORM.
 
DISPLAY-RBAC-RESULT.
    IF ACCESS-GRANTED = 'Y'
       DISPLAY "RBAC Access GRANTED"
       DISPLAY "Resource: " REQUESTED-RESOURCE
       DISPLAY "User Role: " SESSION-ROLE
       DISPLAY "Access Level: " SESSION-LEVEL
    ELSE
       DISPLAY "RBAC Access DENIED"
       DISPLAY "Resource: " REQUESTED-RESOURCE
       DISPLAY "Required Role: " REQUIRED-ROLE(ACL-INDEX)
       DISPLAY "Required Level: " REQUIRED-LEVEL(ACL-INDEX)
       DISPLAY "User Level: " SESSION-LEVEL
    END-IF.

Integration with Enterprise Security Systems

In enterprise environments, COBOL applications typically integrate with external security systems like RACF, ACF2, or Top Secret for comprehensive security management.

RACF Integration Example

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. RACF-INTEGRATION.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 RACF-CONTROL.
   05 RACF-USER-ID     PIC X(8).
   05 RACF-PASSWORD    PIC X(20).
   05 RACF-RETURN-CODE PIC 9(4).
   05 RACF-REASON-CODE PIC 9(4).
 
01 SECURITY-CHECKS.
   05 AUTHENTICATED    PIC X(1) VALUE 'N'.
   05 AUTHORIZED       PIC X(1) VALUE 'N'.
   05 SECURITY-LEVEL   PIC 9(1).
 
01 RESOURCE-ACCESS.
   05 RESOURCE-NAME    PIC X(20).
   05 ACCESS-TYPE      PIC X(10).
   05 ACCESS-GRANTED  PIC X(1).
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    PERFORM RACF-AUTHENTICATION
    IF AUTHENTICATED = 'Y'
       PERFORM RACF-AUTHORIZATION
       IF AUTHORIZED = 'Y'
          PERFORM PROCESS-SECURE-OPERATION
       ELSE
          PERFORM LOG-SECURITY-VIOLATION
       END-IF
    ELSE
       PERFORM LOG-AUTHENTICATION-FAILURE
    END-IF
    STOP RUN.
 
RACF-AUTHENTICATION.
    DISPLAY "=== RACF Authentication ==="
    DISPLAY "Enter User ID: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT RACF-USER-ID
    
    DISPLAY "Enter Password: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT RACF-PASSWORD
    
    * Call RACF authentication service
    CALL "RACFAUTH" USING RACF-USER-ID
                          RACF-PASSWORD
                          RACF-RETURN-CODE
                          RACF-REASON-CODE
    
    IF RACF-RETURN-CODE = 0
       MOVE 'Y' TO AUTHENTICATED
       DISPLAY "RACF authentication successful"
    ELSE
       MOVE 'N' TO AUTHENTICATED
       DISPLAY "RACF authentication failed"
       DISPLAY "Return Code: " RACF-RETURN-CODE
       DISPLAY "Reason Code: " RACF-REASON-CODE
    END-IF.
 
RACF-AUTHORIZATION.
    DISPLAY "Enter resource for authorization check: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT RESOURCE-NAME
    
    DISPLAY "Enter access type: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT ACCESS-TYPE
    
    * Call RACF authorization service
    CALL "RACFAUTHZ" USING RACF-USER-ID
                           RESOURCE-NAME
                           ACCESS-TYPE
                           RACF-RETURN-CODE
                           RACF-REASON-CODE
    
    IF RACF-RETURN-CODE = 0
       MOVE 'Y' TO AUTHORIZED
       DISPLAY "RACF authorization successful"
    ELSE
       MOVE 'N' TO AUTHORIZED
       DISPLAY "RACF authorization failed"
       DISPLAY "Return Code: " RACF-RETURN-CODE
       DISPLAY "Reason Code: " RACF-REASON-CODE
    END-IF.
 
PROCESS-SECURE-OPERATION.
    DISPLAY "=== Secure Operation Processing ==="
    DISPLAY "User: " RACF-USER-ID
    DISPLAY "Resource: " RESOURCE-NAME
    DISPLAY "Access Type: " ACCESS-TYPE
    DISPLAY "Operation completed successfully"
    PERFORM LOG-SUCCESSFUL-ACCESS.
 
LOG-SECURITY-VIOLATION.
    DISPLAY "=== Security Violation Logged ==="
    DISPLAY "Unauthorized access attempt"
    DISPLAY "User: " RACF-USER-ID
    DISPLAY "Resource: " RESOURCE-NAME
    DISPLAY "Access Type: " ACCESS-TYPE
    * Log to security audit system
    CONTINUE.
 
LOG-AUTHENTICATION-FAILURE.
    DISPLAY "=== Authentication Failure Logged ==="
    DISPLAY "Failed authentication attempt"
    DISPLAY "User ID: " RACF-USER-ID
    * Log to security audit system
    CONTINUE.
 
LOG-SUCCESSFUL-ACCESS.
    DISPLAY "=== Successful Access Logged ==="
    DISPLAY "Authorized access completed"
    DISPLAY "User: " RACF-USER-ID
    DISPLAY "Resource: " RESOURCE-NAME
    * Log to security audit system
    CONTINUE.

Audit Logging and Security Monitoring

Comprehensive audit logging is essential for security compliance and monitoring. This includes logging all access attempts, successful operations, and security violations.

Security Audit Implementation

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IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
PROGRAM-ID. SECURITY-AUDIT.
DATA DIVISION.
WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
01 AUDIT-RECORD.
   05 AUDIT-TIMESTAMP   PIC 9(14).
   05 AUDIT-USER-ID     PIC X(8).
   05 AUDIT-RESOURCE    PIC X(20).
   05 AUDIT-ACTION      PIC X(10).
   05 AUDIT-RESULT      PIC X(10).
   05 AUDIT-IP-ADDRESS  PIC X(15).
   05 AUDIT-SESSION-ID  PIC X(16).
 
01 AUDIT-CONTROL.
   05 AUDIT-FILE-STATUS PIC X(2).
   05 AUDIT-RECORD-COUNT PIC 9(6) VALUE ZERO.
 
01 CURRENT-SESSION.
   05 SESSION-USER      PIC X(8).
   05 SESSION-ID        PIC X(16).
   05 SESSION-START     PIC 9(14).
 
PROCEDURE DIVISION.
    PERFORM INITIALIZE-AUDIT-SYSTEM
    PERFORM LOG-SESSION-START
    PERFORM PROCESS-SECURITY-EVENTS
    PERFORM LOG-SESSION-END
    STOP RUN.
 
INITIALIZE-AUDIT-SYSTEM.
    DISPLAY "=== Security Audit System ==="
    DISPLAY "Initializing audit logging..."
    
    * Get current timestamp
    ACCEPT AUDIT-TIMESTAMP FROM DATE YYYYMMDD
    ACCEPT AUDIT-TIMESTAMP(9:6) FROM TIME
    
    DISPLAY "Enter User ID: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT SESSION-USER
    
    DISPLAY "Enter Session ID: " WITH NO ADVANCING
    ACCEPT SESSION-ID
    
    MOVE AUDIT-TIMESTAMP TO SESSION-START.
 
LOG-SESSION-START.
    MOVE AUDIT-TIMESTAMP TO AUDIT-TIMESTAMP
    MOVE SESSION-USER TO AUDIT-USER-ID
    MOVE "SESSION" TO AUDIT-RESOURCE
    MOVE "START" TO AUDIT-ACTION
    MOVE "SUCCESS" TO AUDIT-RESULT
    MOVE "127.0.0.1" TO AUDIT-IP-ADDRESS
    MOVE SESSION-ID TO AUDIT-SESSION-ID
    
    PERFORM WRITE-AUDIT-RECORD
    DISPLAY "Session start logged".
 
PROCESS-SECURITY-EVENTS.
    DISPLAY "Processing security events..."
    
    * Simulate various security events
    PERFORM LOG-RESOURCE-ACCESS
    PERFORM LOG-AUTHORIZATION-CHECK
    PERFORM LOG-SECURITY-VIOLATION
    PERFORM LOG-SUCCESSFUL-OPERATION.
 
LOG-RESOURCE-ACCESS.
    MOVE AUDIT-TIMESTAMP TO AUDIT-TIMESTAMP
    MOVE SESSION-USER TO AUDIT-USER-ID
    MOVE "CUSTOMER-DB" TO AUDIT-RESOURCE
    MOVE "READ" TO AUDIT-ACTION
    MOVE "SUCCESS" TO AUDIT-RESULT
    MOVE "127.0.0.1" TO AUDIT-IP-ADDRESS
    MOVE SESSION-ID TO AUDIT-SESSION-ID
    
    PERFORM WRITE-AUDIT-RECORD
    DISPLAY "Resource access logged".
 
LOG-AUTHORIZATION-CHECK.
    MOVE AUDIT-TIMESTAMP TO AUDIT-TIMESTAMP
    MOVE SESSION-USER TO AUDIT-USER-ID
    MOVE "FINANCIAL-DB" TO AUDIT-RESOURCE
    MOVE "WRITE" TO AUDIT-ACTION
    MOVE "DENIED" TO AUDIT-RESULT
    MOVE "127.0.0.1" TO AUDIT-IP-ADDRESS
    MOVE SESSION-ID TO AUDIT-SESSION-ID
    
    PERFORM WRITE-AUDIT-RECORD
    DISPLAY "Authorization check logged".
 
LOG-SECURITY-VIOLATION.
    MOVE AUDIT-TIMESTAMP TO AUDIT-TIMESTAMP
    MOVE SESSION-USER TO AUDIT-USER-ID
    MOVE "ADMIN-PANEL" TO AUDIT-RESOURCE
    MOVE "ADMIN" TO AUDIT-ACTION
    MOVE "VIOLATION" TO AUDIT-RESULT
    MOVE "127.0.0.1" TO AUDIT-IP-ADDRESS
    MOVE SESSION-ID TO AUDIT-SESSION-ID
    
    PERFORM WRITE-AUDIT-RECORD
    DISPLAY "Security violation logged".
 
LOG-SUCCESSFUL-OPERATION.
    MOVE AUDIT-TIMESTAMP TO AUDIT-TIMESTAMP
    MOVE SESSION-USER TO AUDIT-USER-ID
    MOVE "REPORTS" TO AUDIT-RESOURCE
    MOVE "EXECUTE" TO AUDIT-ACTION
    MOVE "SUCCESS" TO AUDIT-RESULT
    MOVE "127.0.0.1" TO AUDIT-IP-ADDRESS
    MOVE SESSION-ID TO AUDIT-SESSION-ID
    
    PERFORM WRITE-AUDIT-RECORD
    DISPLAY "Successful operation logged".
 
WRITE-AUDIT-RECORD.
    ADD 1 TO AUDIT-RECORD-COUNT
    DISPLAY "Audit Record " AUDIT-RECORD-COUNT ":"
    DISPLAY "  Timestamp: " AUDIT-TIMESTAMP
    DISPLAY "  User: " AUDIT-USER-ID
    DISPLAY "  Resource: " AUDIT-RESOURCE
    DISPLAY "  Action: " AUDIT-ACTION
    DISPLAY "  Result: " AUDIT-RESULT
    DISPLAY "  IP: " AUDIT-IP-ADDRESS
    DISPLAY "  Session: " AUDIT-SESSION-ID
    DISPLAY " ".
 
LOG-SESSION-END.
    MOVE AUDIT-TIMESTAMP TO AUDIT-TIMESTAMP
    MOVE SESSION-USER TO AUDIT-USER-ID
    MOVE "SESSION" TO AUDIT-RESOURCE
    MOVE "END" TO AUDIT-ACTION
    MOVE "SUCCESS" TO AUDIT-RESULT
    MOVE "127.0.0.1" TO AUDIT-IP-ADDRESS
    MOVE SESSION-ID TO AUDIT-SESSION-ID
    
    PERFORM WRITE-AUDIT-RECORD
    DISPLAY "Session end logged"
    DISPLAY "Total audit records: " AUDIT-RECORD-COUNT.

Best Practices for Access Control Implementation

Following best practices ensures robust, maintainable, and compliant access control systems in COBOL applications.

Security Design Principles

  • Implement least privilege access - users get minimum required permissions
  • Use defense in depth - multiple layers of security controls
  • Separate duties - critical operations require multiple approvals
  • Regular access reviews - periodic permission audits
  • Secure by default - deny access unless explicitly granted

Implementation Guidelines

  • Centralize security logic in reusable modules
  • Use strong authentication mechanisms
  • Implement comprehensive audit logging
  • Validate all input and parameters
  • Use encryption for sensitive data

Compliance Considerations

  • Maintain detailed audit trails for regulatory compliance
  • Implement data retention policies
  • Ensure privacy protection for personal data
  • Regular security assessments and testing
  • Document security procedures and policies

Exercise: Enterprise Security System

Design and implement a comprehensive access control system that includes:

  • User authentication and authorization
  • Role-based access control
  • Resource protection mechanisms
  • Comprehensive audit logging
  • Security violation detection

Consider these advanced requirements:

  • How would you implement multi-factor authentication?
  • What security measures would you add for sensitive data?
  • How would you handle session management and timeouts?
  • What reporting capabilities would you include?

FAQ

What are access control lists in COBOL?

Access control lists (ACLs) in COBOL are security mechanisms that define who can access specific resources, files, or program functions. They implement authorization controls to ensure only authorized users can perform certain operations.

How do you implement access control in COBOL programs?

Access control in COBOL is implemented through user authentication, authorization checks, resource protection, and security validation routines. This includes checking user permissions before allowing access to sensitive data or operations.

What security features are available in COBOL?

COBOL security features include user authentication, authorization mechanisms, data encryption, audit logging, access control lists, and integration with enterprise security systems like RACF, ACF2, and Top Secret.

How do you validate user permissions in COBOL?

User permission validation involves checking user credentials, verifying access rights, validating resource permissions, and implementing security checks before allowing operations. This includes integration with security subsystems.

What are best practices for COBOL security?

Best practices include implementing proper authentication, using authorization checks, encrypting sensitive data, logging security events, validating all input, implementing least privilege access, and regular security audits.

Security

Comprehensive security implementation in COBOL

User Authentication

User authentication and verification methods

Data Encryption

Data encryption and protection techniques

Audit Trail Management

Audit logging and security monitoring