Protecting the Natural Development Server Environment and Applications

This section covers the following topics:

• Protecting the Natural Development Server Environment

• Protecting Natural Development Server Applications

Protecting the Natural Development Server Environment

This section describes how to protect the Natural Development Server environment with Natural Security, and how the security definitions on the FSEC system file attached to the server environment affect actions on the server. It covers the following topics:

• Client and Server Actions

• Map Environment and Library Selection

• Protectable Functions in the Mapped Environment

Client and Server Actions

Generally, you have to distinguish between:

• Natural actions which are processed in the server environment,

• Natural actions which are only processed in the client environment.

When a Natural Development Server runs under control of Natural Security, only actions on the server can be protected by Natural Security. The conditions of use established by Natural Security which apply to a user's session on the server are not transferred to a client session.

Also, remember that some actions performed on a Natural Development Server client (mapped environment) generate a call to the Natural Development Server server, while others do not. Only if a client action causes an action on the Natural Development Server, this resulting server action will come under the control of Natural Security.

Map Environment and Library Selection

The function "Map Environment" is controlled by the Natural Security settings that apply to the FNAT system file on which this function is executed. When the function is executed, Natural Security performs a logon, according to the rules as described in the section Logon Procedure. The logon will be to the user's default library, therefore the security settings have to be such that the user is able to log on to his/her default library.

Once the environment has been mapped, the tree view in the mapped environment lists all non-empty libraries on the system file (FUSER/FNAT) assigned to the mapped environment which are accessible by the user. Libraries in whose security profiles a different FUSER file or FDIC file is specified (under Library File) are not listed.

When the user selects one of these libraries from the tree view, a logon to this library is performed - according to the rules as described in the section Logon Procedure. Thus it may be possible, for example, that a startup transaction is executed. If the execution of startup transactions is not desired, it can be suppressed by setting the option NDV Startup Inactive (see Library Preset Values in the section Administrator Services).

The user can only select a library from the tree view; any other library selection (for example, via the system command LOGON *) is not possible.

Within a library in the mapped environment, some functions can be protected by Natural Security, others cannot be protected. Which functions these are is described below.

Protectable Functions in the Mapped Environment

The use of the following functions in a library within the mapped environment can be protected as follows:

• Tree-View Actions
• Transfer Operations
• Command-Line Actions
• System Commands
• Commands LIST DDM and EDIT DDM
• Menu-Bar Functions

Tree-View Actions

* or special-link security profile

** These actions can be made unavailable in the context menu of the library node by the option Disable Rename and Delete of Library Node (described in the section Administrator Services).

(*) If no SYSDDM utility profile is defined, the Command Restrictions in the SYSDDM library profile apply.

Transfer Operations

Transfer operations (for example, "Move", "Copy") and delete operations of any supported Natural object are controlled by the SYSMAIN utility profiles (unless no utility profiles for SYSMAIN are defined, in which case they are controlled by the Utilities option in the library profile of the library processed). Exception: the transfer of DDMs is controlled by the SYSDDM utility profiles.

The following actions are controlled by the following SYSMAIN utility profile options and are validated by the server (except as indicated):

These options can be allowed/disallowed for each type of object individually.

Command-Line Actions

The following actions, when entered in the Natural Studio command line, are controlled by the following Natural Security settings and are validated by the server (except as indicated):

* or special-link security profile

System Commands

Only Natural system commands which are processed on the server can be protected by Natural Security. Their use is controlled by the Command Restrictions in the library security profile (or special-link security profile). This comprises the following system commands: AIV, CATALL, CATALOG, CHECK, CLEAR, COMPOPT, EXECUTE, GLOBALS, HELP, LIST, MAIL, PROFILE, READ, REGISTER, RETURN, RUN, SAVE, SCAN, SETUP, STOW, TEST, UNREGISTER, UPDATE, XREF.

Commands LIST DDM and EDIT DDM

If DDMs are stored on a system file specified with the Natural profile parameter FDIC or FDDM, the following applies: In the Natural Studio, the command EDIT DDM is also available from within a user-created library. This means that it is not necessary to expand the DDM node in the tree view to be able to edit a specific DDM. However, the use of the commands LIST DDM and EDIT DDM in a server environment can only be restricted via the security profile of the Natural SYSDDM utility.

Menu-Bar Functions

The use of the function Development Tools > Error Messages, invoked from the menu bar, is controlled by the SYSERR utility profiles.

The use of the function Development Tools > Object Handler, invoked from the menu bar, is controlled by the SYSOBJH utility profiles.

Protecting Natural Development Server Applications

This section describes how you can control access to base applications and compound applications with Natural Security. It covers the following topics:

• Application Protection

• Components of an Application Profile

• Invoking Application Maintenance

• Selecting an Application for Processing

• Adding a New Application Profile

• Copying an Application Profile

• Modifying an Application Profile

• Renaming an Application Profile

• Deleting an Application Profile

• Displaying an Application Profile

• Linking Users to Applications

Application Protection

This section covers the following topics:

• What are Applications?
• Prerequisites
• General Concept
• Naming Conventions
• Hierarchies of Application Profiles
• Information for Predict Users
• Defining and Activating Application Security

What are Applications?

Applications are base applications and compound applications which are created and maintained in the Natural Studio's application workspace and used in conjunction with the Natural Development Server.

For information on base and compound applications, please refer to the Natural Development Server documentation.

Unless otherwise indicated, the term "application" within the Natural Security documentation comprises both base applications and compound applications.

Prerequisites

For the protection of applications on the development server file, the following prerequisites must be met:

• The Natural Development Server must be installed at your site (as described in the Natural Development Server installation documentation).

• A development server file must be defined; this definition is part of the Natural Development Server installation procedure.

• The FSEC system file used must contain the application profiles * Base Application * and * Compound Application *; these two profiles are automatically created and stored on the FSEC file by both the Natural Security installation procedure and the Natural Development Server installation procedure.

• The current Natural Security session must use a development server file.

General Concept

The protection of applications is only relevant in conjunction with the Natural Development Server. If you do not use the Natural Development Server, you need not concern yourself with application protection in Natural Security.

If you use the Natural Development Server, you should use Natural Security to control the access to applications on the development server file.

By protecting an application, you control users' access to it; that is, you control whether users are allowed to read, add, modify or delete the application in the Natural Studio's application workspace. These access rights are defined in an application security profile.

Application protection in Natural Security only affects access to an application as such; it has no effect on access to the Natural programming objects contained in the libraries that may be part of the application.

Naming Conventions

Application IDs in Natural Security must conform to the application naming conventions which are defined in the Natural Development Server. Natural Security will check if they do.

Hierarchies of Application Profiles

The installation procedures of both Natural Security and the Natural Development Server automatically create two application security profiles with the application IDs * Base Application * and * Compound Application *. These are the basic security profiles which apply to all base applications and compound applications respectively for which no individual security profiles are defined. The default access settings in the two basic profiles are all preset to "N"; you can change them to suit your requirements.

The Natural Development Server naming conventions allow you to set up a hierarchy of application profiles: If you create an application security profile for an application whose ID is a certain character string, the profile will apply to all applications whose IDs begin with that character string. Thus, you need not define a profile for every single application.

For example, if you defined a base application security profile with the ID "A", it would apply to all base applications whose IDs begin with "A" (such a APPLX, AA01, ABC, ADE etc.). A profile with the ID "ABC" would in turn apply to, for example, ABCA, ABCXYZ etc.

Asterisk as Default Access

Such a profile hierarchy can be employed to allow/disallow at different levels the individual default access methods (see below) to be defined within the application profiles. If a default access in an application profile is set to "*", the setting in the profile at the next higher level applies for this access method.

For example, let us assume the following base application profiles with the following settings:

The following settings would apply:

Information for Predict Users

The hierarchy described above corresponds to the hierarchy you can set up for Predict documentation objects. In fact, base and compound applications correspond to Predict documentation objects of type "system", subtypes "-B" and "-O" respectively (as described in the Predict documentation).

Base and compound applications also appear as Predict documentation objects types "SY-B" and "SY-O" in Natural Security's subsystem for external objects. It is therefore possible to maintain application profiles either in the external objects maintenance subsystem or in the application maintenance subsystem. However, it is strongly recommended that you only use the application subsystem - but not the external objects subsystem - to maintain application profiles.

Defining and Activating Application Security

Within Natural Security, application protection is performed in two steps:

• the definition of the necessary security profiles and links,

• the activation of these profiles and links.

Definition of Security Profiles and Links

To control access to an application, you would define the following security profiles and links:

• You have to create a security profile for the library SYSDIC (if not already defined). In the library security profile of SYSDIC, the option People-protected must be set to "Y".

• You create a security profile for the application, and in the profile define the access rights that are to apply to most users.

• You create a group security profile for all users who are to have access to applications, and add all these users to the group.

• You link the group to the library SYSDIC. Without this link, access to applications is not possible. The ID of this link is also used as session profile ID by the Natural Development Server.

• If some users are to have restricted or extended access rights, you create another group security profile for each group of users who are to have the same access rights, and add the users to the groups accordingly.

• You then link these other groups to the application, defining their access rights in the link profile.

• You also have to link each of these groups to the library SYSDIC.

Activation of Security Profiles and Links

To activate the application profiles (and related link profiles) and the protection mechanisms involved, you set the option Activate Security for Development Server File to "Y" (Administrator Services Menu > General Options). As long as this option is set to "N", applications on the development server file are not protected against unauthorized access. It is recommended that you first create all the application profiles, group profiles and links you need, before you set this option to "Y".

Components of an Application Profile

Components of a Base Application Profile

The following type of screen is the "basic" profile screen which is displayed when you invoke one of the functions Add, Copy, Modify, Display for a base application security profile:

14:15:03                    *** NATURAL SECURITY ***                 2020-12-31
                           -Modify Base Application -                         
                                                                             
                                             Modified .. 2020-12-15 by SAG
                                                                               
Base Application ... XYZ-BASE                                             
                                                                               
                                                                               
------ Default Access -------                          Library  DBID  FNR  NSC
Y R Read                                               LIBA       123   10  N 
* A Add                                                LIBB       123   11  P
Y M Modify                                             LIBC       345   33  P
N D Delete                                                                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
Additional Options ... N                                                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
      Help  PrevM Exit  AddOp MaLib Flip                                Canc

The individual items you may define as part of a base application security profile are explained below.

Components of a Compound Application Profile

The following type of screen is the "basic" profile screen which is displayed when you invoke one of the functions Add, Copy, Modify, Display for a compound application security profile:

14:16:05                    *** NATURAL SECURITY ***                 2020-12-31
                        - Modify Compound Application -                        
                                                                             
                                             Modified .. 2020-09-15 by SAG
                                                                               
Compound Application ... XYZ-COMP                                             
                                                                               
                                                                               
------ Default Access -------              Base Application                NSC
Y R Read                                   ABCB0012-BASE-APPL               X  
* A Add                                    ABCB0015-BASE-APPL    
Y M Modify                                 ABCB0019A01                      X 
N D Delete                                                                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
                                                                               
Additional Options ... N                                                     
                                                                               
                                                                               
Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
      Help  PrevM Exit  AddOp MaBAp Flip                                Canc

The individual items you may define as part of a compound application security profile are explained below.

Additional Options

If you mark the field Additional Options on the basic security profile screen with "Y", a window will be displayed from which you can select the following options:

• Maintenance Information

• Security Notes

• Owners

The options for which something has already been specified or defined are marked with a plus sign (+).

You can select one or more items from the window by marking them with any character. For each item selected, an additional window will be displayed:

Invoking Application Maintenance

Application maintenance can only be invoked if the prerequisites described above are met.

To invoke application maintenance:

1. On the Main Menu, select Maintenance.

   A window will be displayed.

2. In the window, mark the object type Application with a character or with the cursor.

   The Application Maintenance selection list will be displayed.

3. From this selection list, you invoke all application maintenance functions as described below.

Selecting an Application for Processing

When you invoke Application Maintenance, a list of all application profiles that have been defined to Natural Security will be displayed.

If you do not want a list of all existing application profiles, but would like only certain applications to be listed, you may use the Start Value and Type/Status options as described in the section Finding Your Way In Natural Security.

On the Main Menu, select Maintenance. A window will be displayed.

In the window, mark the object type Application with a character or with the cursor (and, if desired, enter a start value and/or application type). The Application Maintenance selection list will be displayed:

14:49:01                    *** NATURAL SECURITY ***                 2020-12-31
                          - Application Maintenance -
 
 Co Application                      Type Status Access  Message
 __ ________________________________ ____  ____ ________ ______________________
 __ * Base Application *             Base  NApp RAM
 __ A                                Base  Defi * *D
 __ ABC                              Base  Defi ** *
 __ ABCB0014-BASE-APPL               Base  Defi RAMD
 __ ABCB0015-BASE-APPL               Base  NApp RA
 __ ABCB0016-BASE-APPL               Base  Defi RAMD
 __ ABCB0017-BASE-APPL               Base  NApp RAM
 __ ABCXYZ                           Base  Defi * *
 __ ABCXYZ1                          Base  Defi RA
 __ ABCXYZ2                          Base  Defi R***
 __ * Compound Application *         Comp  NApp R
 __ COMP                             Comp  Defi RAMD
 __ COMP-APPLIC                      Comp  Defi R**
 __ COMP-APPLIC-DEP                  Comp  Defi RAM*


Command ===>
Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
Help        Exit              Flip  -     +                       Canc   

For each application, the application ID, Type (Base or Comp(ound)), Status and Default Access Definition are displayed.

The list can be scrolled as described in the section Finding Your Way In Natural Security.

Status as Selection Criterion

If you wish to list only certain applications, you can specify one of the following selection criteria in the Status field above the list (possible abbreviations are underlined):

The default is blank; that is, all application security profiles will be listed.

Selecting a Function

The following application maintenance functions are available (possible code abbreviations are underlined):

To invoke a function for an application, mark the application with the appropriate function code in column Co.

You may select various objects for various functions at the same time; that is, you can mark several applications on the screen with a function code. For each application marked, the appropriate processing screen will be displayed. You may then perform for one application after another the selected functions.

Adding a New Application Profile

To define an application to Natural Security, you create a security profile for it.

You can create security profiles for applications which already exist on the development server file. But it is also possible to create application security profiles for applications which do not yet exist on the development server file, that is, before the corresponding applications themselves are defined on the development server file.

To add a profile for an existing application:

1. On the Application Maintenance selection list, enter UNDF in the field Status.

   Only those applications which have not yet been defined to Natural Security will be listed. (The list can be scrolled as described in the section Finding Your Way In Natural Security.) The application IDs displayed are those by which the applications are defined in on the development server file.

2. On the list, mark the application for which you wish to create a security profile with function code AD.

3. The Add Application screen will be displayed.

   The items you may define on this screen and any additional windows that may be part of an application security profile are described under Components of an Application Profile.

To add a profile for a non-existing application:

1. In the command line of the Application Maintenance selection list, enter the command ADD.

2. A window will be displayed in which you enter an ID for the application. This ID must conform to the naming conventions for applications which are defined in the Natural Development Server. Natural Security will check if the ID conforms to these naming conventions.

   Depending on where you have invoked the window from, you may also have to specify the desired type of application (base or compound).

3. After you have entered a valid ID (and specified the application type), the Add Application screen will be displayed.

   The items you may define on this screen and any additional windows that may be part of an application security profile are described under Components of an Application Profile.

When you add a new application profile, the owners specified in your own user security profile are automatically copied into the application security profile.

Copying an Application Profile

The Copy Application function is used to define a new application to Natural Security by creating a security profile which is identical to an already existing application security profile.

All components of the existing security profile will be copied into the new security profile - except the owners (these will be copied from your own user security profile into the new application security profile).

Any links from users to the existing application will not be copied.

To copy an application profile:

1. On the Maintenance selection list, mark the application whose security profile you wish to duplicate with function code CO.

2. A window will be displayed in which you enter the ID of the new application. The ID must conform to Natural Development Server naming conventions.

3. After you have entered a valid ID, the new security profile will be displayed.

   Its components which you may define or modify are described under Components of an Application Profile.

Modifying an Application Profile

The Modify Application function is used to change an existing application security profile.

To do so:

1. On the Application Maintenance selection list, mark the application whose security profile you wish to change with function code MO.

2. The security profile of the selected application will be displayed.

   Its components which you may define or modify are described under Components of an Application Profile.

Renaming an Application Profile

The Rename Application function allows you to change the application ID of an existing application security profile.

To do so:

1. On the Application Maintenance selection list, mark the application whose ID you wish to change with function code RE.

2. A window will be displayed in which you enter a new ID for the application profile. The ID must conform to Natural Development Server naming conventions.

When you rename an application security profile, the application itself will not be renamed.

Deleting an Application Profile

The Delete Application function is used to delete an existing application security profile.

To do so:

1. On the Application Maintenance selection list, you mark the application whose profile you wish to delete with function code DE.

2. The Delete Application window will be displayed.

   • If you decide against deleting the application security profile, leave the window by pressing ENTER without having typed in anything.

   • To delete the application security profile, enter the application's ID in the window to confirm the deletion.

When you delete an application profile, all existing links to the application profile will also be deleted.

When you delete an application security profile, the application itself will not be deleted. The application ID will remain in the Application Maintenance selection list with the Status set to UNDF (undefined).

If you mark more than one application with DE, a window will be displayed in which you are asked whether you wish to confirm the deletion of each application security profile with entering the application's ID, or whether all applications selected for deletion are to be deleted without this individual confirmation. Be careful not to delete an application accidentally.

Displaying an Application Profile

The Display Application function is used to display an existing application security profile.

To do so:

• On the Application Maintenance selection list, mark the application whose security profile you wish to view with function code DI.

  The security profile of the selected application will be displayed. Its components are explained under Components of an Application Profile.

Linking Users to Applications

The access methods allowed/disallowed in an application security profile apply to all users who are not linked to the application. If you wish to allow an individual user more or less access methods, you can link the user to the application and in the link's security profile define which access methods are to be available for this particular user. This means that by using links you may define for different users different access rights to the same application.

Only users of types "Administrator", "Person" and "Group" can be linked to an application. An "Administrator" or "Person" can be linked to an application either directly or via a "Group". Users of types "Member" and "Terminal" can be linked to an application only via a "Group"; that is, they must be assigned to a "Group", and the "Group" be linked to the application.

Two functions are available to establish and maintain links between users and applications:

• an User Maintenance function to link one user to one or more applications,

• an Application Maintenance function to link one or more users to one application.

Both functions are described below.

Linking a Single User to Applications

To link one user to one or more applications:

1. On the User Maintenance selection list, mark the user you wish to link with function code LA.

2. A window will be displayed in which you can select the type of applications (base, compound, or both) to which you wish to link the user.

   In addition, the window provides the following options:

   • Start value - You can enter a start value (as described in the section Finding Your Way in Natural Security) for the list of applications to be displayed.

   • Selection criterion - N = none: all applications will be listed; L = linked: only applications to which the user is already linked will be listed; U = unlinked: only applications to which the user is not yet linked will be listed.

3. Then the Link User To Applications selection list will be displayed, showing the list of applications.

   The list can be scrolled as described in the section Finding Your Way In Natural Security.

   On the list, you mark the applications to which you wish to link the user.

   In the Co column, you may mark each application with one of the following function codes (possible code abbreviations are underlined):

   Code	Function
   LK	Link - The user may use the application with a special security profile to be defined for the link; the link profile will take precedence over the application profile. See Creating and Modifying a Link Security Profile below.
   CL	Cancel - An existing link will be cancelled.
   DI	Display Application - The application security profile will be displayed.
   DL	Display Link - The link security profile will be displayed.

   You can mark one or more applications on the screen with a function code.

4. For each object marked, the selected functions will be executed one after another. When processing is completed, a message will be displayed stating the link situation now in effect between the user and each application.

Linking Multiple Users to an Application

To link one or more users to one application:

1. On the Application Maintenance selection list, mark the application to which you wish to link users with code LU.

2. A window will be displayed, providing the following options:

   • Start value - You can enter a start value (as described in the section Finding Your Way in Natural Security) for the list of users to be displayed.

   • Selection criterion - N = none: all users will be listed; L = linked: only users which are already linked to the application will be listed; U = unlinked: only users which are not yet linked to the application will be listed.

3. Then the Link Users To Application selection list will be displayed, showing the list of users. It includes all users of types "Group", "Administrator" and "Person".

   The list can be scrolled as described in the section Finding Your Way In Natural Security.

   On the list, you mark the users you wish to be linked to the application.

   In the Co column, you may mark each user with one of the following function codes (possible code abbreviations are underlined):

   Code	Function
   LK	Link - The user may use the application with a special security profile to be defined for the link; the link profile will take precedence over the application profile. See Creating and Modifying a Link Security Profile below.
   CL	Cancel - An existing link will be cancelled.
   DI	Display User - The user security profile will be displayed.
   DL	Display Link - The link security profile will be displayed.

   You can mark one or more users on the screen with a function code.

4. For each user marked, the selected functions will be executed one after another. When processing is completed, a message will be displayed stating the link situation now in effect between each user and the application.

Creating and Modifying a Link Security Profile

To create or modify a link security profile

1. On the Link User To Applications selection list, mark an application with LK.

   Or:
   On the Link Users To Application selection list, mark a user with LK.

2. A screen will be displayed on which you define the security profile for this link.

   The default settings which appear in the link security profile are taken from the security profile of the application.

   The components of a link security profile correspond with those of an application security profile (see Components of an Application Profile). In addition, you can set Activation Dates; they are in analogy to the Activation Dates in a user security profile (see Components of a User Profile).

Instead of allowing/disallowing the access methods in the link security profile, you can also enter/delete the corresponding letters (R, A, M, D) in the appropriate positions in the Access column of the Link User To Applications or Link Users To Application selection list.