Best Mainframe Security Solutions for IBM z/OS

UKM effectively discovers, addresses, and oversees SSH user keys while ensuring that business systems remain uninterrupted and workflow is smooth. It identifies and monitors existing keys, confirms trusted connections, renews authorizations, and eliminates inactive keys when necessary. There are no alterations to processes or uncertainties regarding compliance, and it also reduces expenses in the process. UKM serves as an ideal solution for businesses of any size that prioritize the management and protection of their secure shell environments. The system automatically monitors SSH key activity and updates access permissions while identifying and discarding potentially harmful or unused keys, all without causing disruptions to ongoing operations. By consolidating oversight and automating key management, businesses can significantly cut the overhead costs associated with SSH keys, potentially saving millions annually. Although SSH is recognized as the gold standard for securing data transfers, mismanaged SSH keys pose serious security threats. UKM addresses these challenges effectively, ensuring both security and compliance for its users. Additionally, its ability to streamline key management processes allows organizations to focus more on their core operations instead of getting bogged down by key-related issues.

This ongoing monitoring solution enhances the security of even the most robust mainframe systems. SDS IronSphere for z/OS not only aids in adherence to standards mandated for U.S. agencies but also excels in automatic z/OS STIG compliance monitoring, a key feature among its many security compliance tools designed for the mainframe environment. Developed by professionals experienced in mainframe penetration testing and security compliance, IronSphere aligns with vital guidelines that are essential for meeting security compliance requirements across various sectors. This solution provides continuous and automatic identification of system vulnerabilities, along with straightforward remediation instructions as part of its assessment outcomes. Furthermore, the results are securely stored within the tool, ensuring compliance auditors can verify that your z/OS system has been subject to ongoing monitoring and is in line with ISCM and RMF protocols, thereby reinforcing the framework of security for your organization. The tool’s capabilities not only help prevent potential breaches but also enhance overall confidence in the security posture of the mainframe environment.

We are a cybersecurity firm focused on protecting essential data during transit, use, and storage for prominent organizations globally. Evaluate your SSH key inventory and the associated risks with our self-service tool, SSHerlock, designed for discovering and auditing SSH keys and post-quantum resilience, all available at no cost. Our offerings extend to passwordless authentication, operational technology (OT) security, and defensive cybersecurity, among others. What significant trends are anticipated to influence cybersecurity in the coming year? PrivX is ideally suited for the secure management and monitoring of superuser and power user access across hybrid cloud environments while also removing dangerous privileged passwords from critical systems. UKM Zero Trust efficiently manages and automates the lifecycle of millions of encryption keys to enhance risk mitigation and ensure successful audits, promoting keyless access. Additionally, our software-based NQX delivers unparalleled performance and security, setting new standards in cybersecurity solutions. As technology continues to evolve, staying informed about these trends is crucial for maintaining robust security measures.

SDS is now engaged in the distribution, support, and active enhancement of the well-regarded E-Business Server, a genuine OpenPGP encryption solution that was initially created by cryptography innovator Phil Zimmerman. By leveraging OpenPGP encryption technology along with adaptable APIs, the SDS E-Business Server delivers robust encryption capabilities that seamlessly integrate with a diverse array of applications and platforms, including mainframes. This server is tailored for organizations that demand top-tier security for data that is stored internally, shared within the organization, and transmitted outside its protective boundaries. The complexities of modern data security requirements are significant yet essential. Achieve compliance with GDPR and other critical standards through the use of invulnerable signature generation and dependable authentication methods, ensuring your data is secure. Notably, the E-Business Server also optimizes file sizes, minimizes bandwidth usage, accelerates processing times, and conserves disk space, allowing for efficient resource management. As the digital landscape evolves, organizations must prioritize solutions that not only enhance security but also streamline operations for improved productivity.

This z/OS tape encryption solution is crafted to be innovative, adaptable, and seamlessly integrated, providing a thorough approach to data security. It ensures your sensitive information remains safe from unauthorized access, even if physical tapes are compromised. By utilizing Tape Encryption, you can effectively manage the complete lifecycle of encryption keys while avoiding the necessity for costly and complex hardware investments. This mainframe strategy empowers your organization to mitigate risks associated with potential fines, expensive remediation efforts, and the adverse publicity that can stem from the exposure of critical data. Furthermore, it aligns with your overall security framework while maintaining budgetary efficiency. Safeguarding against breaches not only protects your assets but also helps preserve your reputation in the marketplace. Additionally, the solution offers an automated key management process that maximizes performance and minimizes the load on your processors by leveraging other Broadcom technologies. Ultimately, this ensures a robust defense against data loss and enhances your company's resilience against financial setbacks.

Enhance the distinct organizational needs and session manager functionalities within a corporation. TPX Session Management for z/OS addresses the challenges of constant logins and logouts across various applications linked to a VTAM network by allowing secure access and navigation through all applications from a unified menu. This system provides authenticated access to dynamically generated application menus. It accommodates multiple departmental needs by allowing personalized customization for different users. Additionally, it boosts performance and user-friendliness via data compression, streamlined administration, and a centralized control point, which facilitates the exchange of commands and responses between instances. Elevate your organization and advance your career with Broadcom's training, certifications, and resources, which serve as your gateway to creating flawless integrations that maximize the potential of mainframe services. Through these offerings, you can cultivate a robust understanding of system management and improve operational efficiency.

Robust and scalable security solutions paired with simplified administration for your mainframe are essential. In today's business landscape, success hinges on having a dependable, comprehensive, and efficient security framework. Organizations require unhindered access to their mainframe databases while alleviating any security anxieties. Trust from consumers is given only to those businesses that prioritize the protection of personal information. ACF2 offers extensive security measures for your critical information resources, empowering your business to harness the mainframe's inherent reliability, scalability, and cost efficiency. With ACF2 for z/OS, multi-factor advanced authentication is supported, and ACF2 for Db2 for z/OS allows for the externalization of security for IBM Db2 without necessitating an exit. This solution includes ready-to-use identity and access management features, comprehensive logging, and thorough audit reporting. Ultimately, ACF2 ensures total cybersecurity for your essential information assets, allowing your business to maximize the benefits of the mainframe's capabilities while minimizing risk. Ensuring robust security is not just a technical necessity; it has become a strategic imperative for lasting success.

Today’s business strategies hinge on a dependable, all-encompassing, and budget-friendly security framework. Companies require unhindered access to their mainframe databases while alleviating security worries. Customers will only engage with businesses that safeguard their personal data. Top Secret offers extensive protection for your critical information assets, allowing your business to tap into the mainframe's reliability, scalability, and efficiency fully. Experience ready-to-use identity and access management, along with comprehensive logging and audit reporting tools. By utilizing robust cybersecurity measures, your business can leverage the mainframe’s reliability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness to the fullest. Additionally, a versatile configuration system ensures your security policies are monitored and adjusted to fit nearly any organizational structure, promoting both security and adaptability. This dual approach not only enhances trust with consumers but also fortifies the overall integrity of your business operations.

IBM RACF for z/OS provides a robust framework for safeguarding mainframe resources by utilizing resource managers to make informed access control decisions. By ensuring that only authorized individuals gain access, it plays a crucial role in keeping sensitive data secure. Users can be authenticated through various means, including passwords, password phrases, digital certificates, Kerberos tickets, or PassTickets. To effectively manage and control access to critical z/OS data, implementing tools designed for this purpose is essential. The RACF database stores detailed information about users, resources, and their corresponding access rights, which is essential for enforcing your security policies. This database is instrumental in determining who can access protected resources based on established security guidelines. Additionally, RACF features comprehensive logging and reporting capabilities that track user attempts—both successful and unsuccessful—to access resources, thus facilitating the detection of potential security breaches or vulnerabilities. This functionality enhances your ability to monitor and respond to security threats. Moreover, with the RRSF, you can execute most RACF commands on a node while using a user ID that is different from the one currently logged in, offering greater flexibility in managing security. This level of control is vital for maintaining a secure mainframe environment.

Mainframe systems serve as the backbone of reliable digital interactions for many of the globe’s largest enterprises and organizations. Despite their importance, the passwords that safeguard essential users, data, and applications are often a vulnerable point for cybercriminals to target, as their effectiveness largely depends on user awareness and adherence to security protocols. Through tactics like social engineering and phishing, hackers have successfully manipulated employees, partners, and everyday users to gain unauthorized access to even the most fortified platforms. IBM Z MFA significantly enhances the security of your critical systems by providing advanced authentication features and options for a thorough, user-focused strategy that reduces the risk of password breaches and system infiltrations. Additionally, our design team consists of IBM Z MFA users themselves, allowing us to integrate their valuable insights and experiences from real-world mainframe security challenges into every updated version we release. This continuous feedback loop ensures that our solutions remain relevant and effective in combating the evolving threats in the cybersecurity landscape.

The IBM z/OS Authorized Code Scanner (zACS) is an additional paid feature available in z/OS version 2 release 4 and later, aimed at assisting clients in enhancing the security framework of their z/OS systems. This scanner effectively identifies possible vulnerabilities located within the Authorized Program Facility (APF) code libraries. It offers both basic and advanced testing options for Program Controls (PCs) and Supervisor Calls (SVCs). The tool also facilitates AC(1) parameter testing across both batch and UNIX System Services (USS) environments. With a user-friendly visual interface through z/OS Management Facility (z/OSMF), it streamlines the diagnostic process for any necessary remediation. Moreover, it operates in a non-intrusive manner by integrating with z/OS recovery processing. Specifically designed for deployment on production environments, it can automatically collect dumps to aid in problem analysis, ensuring a comprehensive approach to security management. This makes zACS a vital asset for maintaining robust security measures in complex computing environments.

The Crypto Analytics Tool (CAT) gathers vital security information and assists in creating a detailed inventory of cryptographic assets. Its graphical client simplifies the analysis of security data, providing an enterprise-wide perspective on all z/OS cryptographic consuming LPARs through a single monitoring interface. With a thorough overview of the system's cryptographic security, CAT enables continuous monitoring to ensure that keys and cryptographic functions are properly configured and secure, thereby adhering to established best practices. This tool facilitates the enforcement of policies and compliance requirements, empowering administrators to identify weaknesses and gaps, thus prioritizing necessary enhancements. It offers an extensive assessment of the cryptographic security landscape, including HSM, ICSF, and RACF components. By pinpointing insecure keys and algorithms, CAT aids in maintaining robust security protocols. Furthermore, it allows for the comparison of the current cryptographic state with previous snapshots, which is essential for error detection, problem resolution, and validation of change control processes, ultimately promoting a more secure cryptographic environment. In this way, CAT not only enhances security but also boosts operational efficiency across the organization.

The Unified Key Orchestrator for IBM z/OS, previously known as IBM Enterprise Key Management Foundation-Web Edition, serves as a comprehensive key management solution that efficiently coordinates and safeguards the lifecycle of encryption keys throughout your organization, adaptable for both on-premises and various cloud platforms such as IBM Cloud, AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, and Google Cloud. This tool, UKO for z/OS, facilitates the management and transition of key management tasks within and between on-premises setups and cloud environments, thereby enhancing compliance and bolstering security measures. By utilizing UKO for z/OS, organizations can control their encryption keys through a single, reliable user interface, streamlining operations. As a z/OS software deployment, UKO for z/OS allows for seamless key orchestration across all IBM z/OS systems as well as multiple public cloud services. Additionally, it provides support for key management associated with zKey on Linux® on IBM Z and integrates with the IBM Security Guardium key lifecycle manager, ensuring comprehensive coverage across various platforms. This multifaceted approach to key management ultimately reinforces the security framework of your enterprise and simplifies the complexities associated with encryption key handling.

Every item within the VitalSigns lineup is designed to save you money. Each product offers easy installation, serves as a cost-effective substitute for expensive legacy solutions, places minimal strain on the mainframe, and ensures round-the-clock support from our exceptional team. VitalSigns stands as a comprehensive toolkit for… Event Log Management and Compliance – VitalSigns SIEM Agent for z/OS FTP Monitoring – VitalSigns for FTP Complete FTP Security – The VFTP/SSH Collaboration IP Monitoring – VitalSigns for IP Network Automation – VitalSigns for Network Automation and Control SNA and IP Monitoring – VitalSigns for VTAM With these tools, users can enhance efficiency while significantly reducing operational costs.