Catalog Solutions Install data sets are not properly protected.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-224459	SRG-OS-000080	ZCSLR000	SV-224459r1145209_rule	2025-09-27	7

Description
Catalog Solutions is a very powerful tool that can pose risks if not properly controlled. If security is not properly implemented, the users of the product could present data integrity exposures, bypass security for catalog data sets, other VSAM files, and aliases. Catalog Solutions Install data sets provide the capability to use privileged functions and/or have access to sensitive data. Failure to properly restrict access to their data sets could result in violating the integrity of the base product which could result in compromising the operating system or sensitive data.

Description

Catalog Solutions is a very powerful tool that can pose risks if not properly controlled. If security is not properly implemented, the users of the product could present data integrity exposures, bypass security for catalog data sets, other VSAM files, and aliases. Catalog Solutions Install data sets provide the capability to use privileged functions and/or have access to sensitive data. Failure to properly restrict access to their data sets could result in violating the integrity of the base product which could result in compromising the operating system or sensitive data.

ℹ️ Check
Refer to the following report produced by the Data Set and Resource Data Collection: - SENSITVE.RPT(CSLPROD). Automated Analysis Refer to the following report produced by the Data Set and Resource Data Collection: - PDI(ZCSL0000). Verify that access to the Catalog Solutions Install data sets are properly restricted. If the following guidance is true, this is not a finding. The RACF data set rules for the data sets restrict WRITE and/or greater access to only systems programming personnel. The RACF data set rules for the data sets specify that all (i.e., failures and successes) WRITE and/or greater access will be logged.

ℹ️ Check

Refer to the following report produced by the Data Set and Resource Data Collection: - SENSITVE.RPT(CSLPROD). Automated Analysis Refer to the following report produced by the Data Set and Resource Data Collection: - PDI(ZCSL0000). Verify that access to the Catalog Solutions Install data sets are properly restricted. If the following guidance is true, this is not a finding. The RACF data set rules for the data sets restrict WRITE and/or greater access to only systems programming personnel. The RACF data set rules for the data sets specify that all (i.e., failures and successes) WRITE and/or greater access will be logged.

✔️ Fix
The ISSO will ensure that WRITE and/or greater access to program product data sets is limited to systems programmers only, unless a letter justifying access is filed with the ISSO, and all WRITE and/or greater access is logged. The installing systems programmer will identify and document the product data sets and categorize them according to who will have WRITE and/or greater access and if required that all WRITE and/or greater access is logged. The installing systems programmer will identify if any additional groups have UPDATE access for specific data sets, and once documented work with the ISSO to ensure they are properly restricted to the ACP (Access Control Program) active on the system. The following commands are provided as a sample for implementing data set controls: ad 'sys2.csl.' uacc(none) owner(sys2) - audit(success(update) failures(read)) - data('Catalog Solution Vendor Datasets: Ref SRR PDI ZCSLR000') pe 'sys2.csl.' id(<syspaudt>) acc(a) ad 'sys3.csl.' uacc(none) owner(sys3) - audit(success(update) failures(read)) - data('Catalog Solution Customized Datasets: Ref SRR PDI ZCSLR000') pe 'sys3.csl.' id(<syspaudt>) acc(a) setr generic(dataset) refresh Catalog Solution allows you to monitor your catalog environment to help identify and correct structural catalog problems before they create system outages. Catalog Solution is a valuable tool in planning for or implementing System Managed Storage, as well as ensuring daily system availability. Catalog Solution is a comprehensive facility for the management, maintenance, repair, and recovery of the MVS catalog environment that complements the IDC Access Method Services (IDCAMS) utility. Catalog Solution helps you in the five key areas: Maintenance, Diagnostics, Reporting, Backup and Recovery, and SMF management. Catalog Solution is a very powerful tool that can pose risks if not properly controlled. If security is not properly implemented, the users of the product could present data integrity exposures, bypass security for catalog data sets, other VSAM files, and aliases. As an authorized program, Catalog Solution bypasses many of the normal system security facilities - catalog and data set passwords in particular. Improper use of Catalog Solution can result in non-synchronized catalog, data set, or VVDS record groups. Therefore, certain commands should not be made available to the user community. As delivered, Catalog Solution bypasses data set security checking for VSAM data sets and BCS processing. Clearly there are risks associated and valid requirements exist to ensure full external security controls are properly implemented for the Catalog Solution product. Properly securing the use of various commands and features is crucial. All Catalog Solution functions should be reviewed for potential security exposures and to prevent unauthorized use. Some Catalog Solution functions allow for bypassing of security controls, and as such shall be restricted to systems programmers who perform in the specific role of Storage management.

✔️ Fix

The ISSO will ensure that WRITE and/or greater access to program product data sets is limited to systems programmers only, unless a letter justifying access is filed with the ISSO, and all WRITE and/or greater access is logged. The installing systems programmer will identify and document the product data sets and categorize them according to who will have WRITE and/or greater access and if required that all WRITE and/or greater access is logged. The installing systems programmer will identify if any additional groups have UPDATE access for specific data sets, and once documented work with the ISSO to ensure they are properly restricted to the ACP (Access Control Program) active on the system. The following commands are provided as a sample for implementing data set controls: ad 'sys2.csl.**' uacc(none) owner(sys2) - audit(success(update) failures(read)) - data('Catalog Solution Vendor Datasets: Ref SRR PDI ZCSLR000') pe 'sys2.csl.**' id(<syspaudt>) acc(a) ad 'sys3.csl.**' uacc(none) owner(sys3) - audit(success(update) failures(read)) - data('Catalog Solution Customized Datasets: Ref SRR PDI ZCSLR000') pe 'sys3.csl.**' id(<syspaudt>) acc(a) setr generic(dataset) refresh Catalog Solution allows you to monitor your catalog environment to help identify and correct structural catalog problems before they create system outages. Catalog Solution is a valuable tool in planning for or implementing System Managed Storage, as well as ensuring daily system availability. Catalog Solution is a comprehensive facility for the management, maintenance, repair, and recovery of the MVS catalog environment that complements the IDC Access Method Services (IDCAMS) utility. Catalog Solution helps you in the five key areas: Maintenance, Diagnostics, Reporting, Backup and Recovery, and SMF management. Catalog Solution is a very powerful tool that can pose risks if not properly controlled. If security is not properly implemented, the users of the product could present data integrity exposures, bypass security for catalog data sets, other VSAM files, and aliases. As an authorized program, Catalog Solution bypasses many of the normal system security facilities - catalog and data set passwords in particular. Improper use of Catalog Solution can result in non-synchronized catalog, data set, or VVDS record groups. Therefore, certain commands should not be made available to the user community. As delivered, Catalog Solution bypasses data set security checking for VSAM data sets and BCS processing. Clearly there are risks associated and valid requirements exist to ensure full external security controls are properly implemented for the Catalog Solution product. Properly securing the use of various commands and features is crucial. All Catalog Solution functions should be reviewed for potential security exposures and to prevent unauthorized use. Some Catalog Solution functions allow for bypassing of security controls, and as such shall be restricted to systems programmers who perform in the specific role of Storage management.