EntireX Security is the standard security solution provided with EntireX. It provides centralized security for EntireX Broker under z/OS, UNIX and Windows. EntireX Security operates with your organization's security repository.
This document covers the following topics:
EntireX Security secures distributed application components running with EntireX Broker. EntireX Security software is installed at specific points where communication between client and server / publish and subscribe application components is protected, using definitions located in the security repository of your organization: e.g., SAF-based security (RACF, CA ACF2 or CA Top Secret) under z/OS, and for UNIX and Windows either the local security system of the machine or an LDAP repository.
The basic functionality of EntireX Security covers
authentication of user
authorization of client and server, publish and subscribe, and Command and Information Services
encryption of application
See Functionality of EntireX Security.
EntireX Security provides comprehensive security for EntireX Broker:
user authentication
user authorization
application-data encryption
supplied in object code only
EntireX Security protects client and server and publish and subscribe application systems, and, in most installations, EntireX Security operates without altering runtime applications.
EntireX Security allows your organization to control the use of all applications, including distributed components, from a central point, enabling flexible control with a "one user = one definition" approach.
There are no user exits to write and debug when using EntireX Security. Compare Sample Security Exits for Broker Security.
EntireX Security enables security definitions, based on class/name/service (client and server) or topic (publish and subscribe), to be validated within your SAF Security system. All definitions are managed using existing security procedures and software.
Your investment in SAF-based security repositories is protected. This includes not only the security systems RACF, CA ACF2 and CA Top Secret, but also the infrastructure to administer security profiles.
This section covers the following topics:
Authentication verifies whether the identity specified by the user
application is the actual identity. Authentication is performed for application
components executing on different platforms against the security repository
where the broker kernel resides. See EntireX Security: Standard Security Solution.
It is the responsibility
of the application to supply the ACI user ID and password on the first command.
See USER-ID and PASSWORD under Broker ACI Fields.
Note:
There is an uppercase translation when the USER-ID field is
propagated to the CLIENT-UID field under EntireX Security when the broker kernel is
running under z/OS.
Authorization determines whether client and server application
components are allowed to execute with EntireX Broker. The
class, server and service associated with the user's command form the basis for
the check. Separate authorization checks are performed, depending on the role
of the application as either client or server. The checks differentiate between
the client's SEND command and a server's REGISTER command. Therefore your
security administrator should allow only the level of access required for the
user to operate in the intended role. The authorization checks are performed on
the same platform as the broker kernel resides (see EntireX Security: Standard Security Solution)
regardless of location of
the individual application components.
This authorization functionality is available only with EntireX Broker running under z/OS. Under UNIX and Windows, limited functionality is available through authorization rules. See also Administering Authorization Rules using System Management Hub under UNIX | Windows.
Authorization determines whether publisher and subscriber application
components are allowed to execute with EntireX Broker. The topic name associated with
the user's command forms the basis for the check. Separate authorization checks
are performed, depending on the role of the application as either publisher or
subscriber. The checks differentiate between a publisher's PUBLISH command and
a subscriber's SUBSCRIBE command. Therefore your security administrator should
allow only the level of access required for the user to operate in the intended
role. The authorization checks are performed on the same platform as the broker kernel resides.
See EntireX Security: Standard Security Solution.
This authorization functionality is available only with EntireX Broker running under z/OS. Under UNIX and Windows, limited functionality is available through authorization rules. See also Administering Authorization Rules using System Management Hub under UNIX | Windows.
Authorization determines whether a user is permitted to issue commands
to the EntireX Broker Command and
Information Services. See Broker Command and Information Services.
The following resource definitions, derived
from the user's intended activities, form the basis for the check. The level of
authorization needed for accessing these services is identical to that of a
"client". These services are automatically started by broker kernel without
performing a check for REGISTER:
| Resource Definition | Using |
|---|---|
SAG.ETBCIS.CMD
|
ETBCMD |
SAG.ETBCIS.INFO
|
ETBINFO to retrieve general information. Specify INFO
for the full information service: all clients, servers and conversations are listed.
|
SAG.ETBCIS.SAGCCV5
|
For RPC CIS command services. |
SAG.ETBCIS.SAGCIV5
|
For RPC CIS information services. |
SAG.ETBCIS.SECURITY-CMD |
For security related requests: (1) reset user [ACEE]; (2) change security trace level. |
SAG.ETBCIS.USER-INFO |
ETBINFO to retrieve information specific to the
user issuing the command. USER-INFO is an information service limited to
user-specific information: only the user's own resources are listed.
|
In addition, a separate authorization check is made when a user attempts to perform third party actions affecting other users:
To shutdown a service, users must have the required authorization to register this class, server and service themselves.
To shutdown a server, users must have the required authorization to register all the services registered by that server.
This authorization is required in addition to the requesting user's
ability to use SAG.ETBCIS.CMD in general.
Similarly, Command and Information Services allows for third party
subscription of users to a specified topic. In this case, a separate
authorization check is made to ensure the issuing user is indeed authorized to
subscribe to this same topic. This authorization is required in addition to the
requesting user's ability to use SAG.ETBCIS.CMD in general.
This authorization functionality is available only with EntireX Broker running under z/OS. Under UNIX and Windows, limited functionality is available through authorization rules. See also Administering Authorization Rules using System Management Hub under UNIX | Windows.
In EntireX Security, a client application can create and encrypt a message before sending it via a broker to a server application or vice versa. Similarly, publisher applications can encrypt messages before communicating them via a broker to subscriber applications. The following message flow illustrates an example client application sending a message to a server application. In a reverse message flow - that is, server application to client application - the points of encryption and decryption are also reversed.
The setting of encryption by an application component activates
encryption between that application and the broker kernel; it does not activate
encryption between the broker kernel and the partner application component.
However, the behavior of encryption from client via the broker to the server is
controlled by the broker attribute
ENCRYPTION-LEVEL
and the control block field
ENCRYPTION-LEVEL.
In the graphic, Sender refers to the message producer; Receiver refers to the message consumer.
The diagram shows the location of the security components of the kernel and stubs of EntireX Broker. Each step in the table below represents a specific step in the data flow sequence.This table describes the functionality of the security components of the kernel / stubs of broker: authorization; authentication; encryption/decryption.
Note:
This diagram depicts the operation of the broker stub for Natural and
3GL. It is not intended to show the mechanism used by the
Java ACI with regard to EntireX Security. See Using EntireX Security with Java-based EntireX Applications under Writing Advanced Applications - EntireX Java ACI.
Broker stub calls security module SECUEXIT, if present.
Security module SECUEXIT encrypts the password and
optionally the application data, based on the value assigned to the
ENCRYPTION-LEVEL field of the broker control block, or through configuration
options for:
z/OS |
UNIX |
Windows.
Broker stub communicates the call to the broker kernel.
Broker kernel calls
security module USRSEC, which provides the following functionality, based on
the configuration options applicable to EntireX Security (see Configuration Options for Broker):
user authentication of publish and subscribe application components;
authorization checking
required for subscriber to issue SUBSCRIBE command for specified topic;
authorization checking required for publisher to send publication;
encryption of application data;
decryption of application data;
Re-authentication if a user acquires a new physical user ID.
Re-authentication if the value of a user's ACI security token changes.
All functionality is available on z/OS only.
Security module USRSEC references local security system
where the broker is located.
z/OS
Security module USRSEC calls SAF (RACF, CA ACF2 or CA Top Secret).
UNIX
Security module USRSEC calls the UNIX security system or LDAP.
Windows
Security module USRSEC calls the Windows security system or
LDAP.
The result of the security check is communicated back to
security module USRSEC.
Security module USRSEC passes call to Broker kernel.
Broker kernel communicates the call to Broker stub of the partner application.
The Broker stub calls
SECUEXIT. SECUEXIT performs decryption, where this is necessary to receive the
data.
Security module SECUEXIT returns call to Broker stub.
The diagram shows the location of the security components of the kernel and stubs of Broker. Each step in the list below represents a specific step in the data flow sequence. The steps describe the functionality of the security components of the kernel / stubs of the broker: authorization; authentication; encryption/decryption.
Broker stub calls security module SECUEXIT, if present.
Security module SECUEXIT encrypts the password and
optionally the application data, based on the value assigned to the
ENCRYPTION-LEVEL field of the broker control block, or through configuration
options for: z/OS |
UNIX |
Windows.
Broker stub communicates the call to the broker kernel.
Broker kernel calls
security module USRSEC, which provides the following functionality, based on
the configuration options applicable
to EntireX Security. See Configuration Options for Broker.
user authentication of client and server application components;
authorization checking required for server to register a service;
authorization checking required for client to send request;
encryption of application data;
decryption of application data;
Re-authentication if a user acquires a new physical user ID.
Re-authentication if the value of a user's ACI security token changes.
All functionality is available on z/OS only.
Security module USRSEC references local security system
where the broker is located.
z/OS
Security module USRSEC calls SAF (RACF, CA ACF2 or CA Top Secret).
UNIX
Security module USRSEC calls the UNIX security system or LDAP.
Windows
Security module USRSEC calls the Windows security system or
LDAP.
The result of the security check is communicated back to
security module USRSEC.
Security module USRSEC passes call to Broker kernel.
Broker kernel communicates the call to broker stub of the partner application.
The Broker stub calls
SECUEXIT. SECUEXIT performs decryption, where this is necessary to receive the
data.
Security module SECUEXIT returns call to Broker stub.
See also EntireX Glossary.
Authentication verifies whether the identity specified by the user ID in the ACI control block is the actual identity. Authentication is performed by checking the user's ID and password against a security system, except where Trusted user ID automatically acquires the identity of the logged-on user or batch job, obviating the requirement for a password in the ACI control block. See Trusted User ID. Trusted user ID is applicable only where the application component and the broker kernel reside under z/OS.
Authentication is not performed with every call. It is performed when a user is first presented to the kernel of EntireX Broker. The broker kernel recognizes the identity of the user on subsequent occasions by combination of user ID and physical user ID (or user ID and token where supplied). Broker kernel also verifies the correctness of the ACI security token on all subsequent commands and, if this is not as expected, the application must provide the correct user ID and password again (unless configured otherwise).
An application identifying itself by combination of user ID and token can change its physical user ID without needing to provide the user ID and PASSWORD again provided it maintains the value of ACI security token in the broker control block. This functionality is recommended for multithreading applications or applications executing within a Web server. Caution should be exercised to ensure the user ID and token combination is unique.
Authorization is performed when:
a client issues a
request to a service in the case of the first SEND command in a conversation,
or of each SEND command if CONV-ID=NONE;
a server registers a service to the broker;
a publisher communicates a publication via broker for a specified topic;
a subscriber issues the subscribe command to broker kernel for a specified topic;
an application connects to broker through TCP/IP, an optional authorization check is performed based on the address.
Full authorization functionality is available only under z/OS.
It is the location of the broker kernel that determines the point at which the authentication and authorization checks are performed. Authentication and Authorization are performed in the kernel. Encryption / Decryption is performed in the kernel (as well as in the stub).
See List of Components per Platform for where EntireX Broker kernel is supported.
In EntireX Broker, a module that implements the ACI (Advanced Communication Interface) is commonly referred to as "broker stub" or simply "stub". Stubs are installed on the client side or server side.
See List of Components per Platform for where broker stubs are supported.
Encryption is the process by which the information or data being sent back and forth between two computers (including the password submitted when logging on) is "encoded", shielding it from view by unauthorized persons. With EntireX Security, the algorithms for encryption/decryption are present in the broker stubs and also in the kernel of broker.
