IBM Hardware Configuration Definition (HCD) User datasets are not properly protected.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-224300	SRG-OS-000259	ZHCDA002	SV-224300r1141520_rule	2025-09-23	7

Description
IBM HCD product has the capability to use privileged functions and/or to have access to sensitive data. Failure to properly restrict access to their datasets 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 dataset and Resource Data Collection: - SENSITVE.RPT(HCDUSER). Automated Analysis Refer to the following report produced by the dataset and Resource Data Collection: - PDI(ZHCD0002). Verify that the access to the IBM HCD install datasets is properly restricted. The datasets to be protected are the production and working IODF datasets as well as the activity log for the IODF datasets. If the following guidance is true, this is not a finding. Note: Currently on most CSD systems the prefix for these datasets is SYS3.IODF.*. The ACF2 dataset rules for the datasets restrict WRITE and/or greater access to systems programming personnel. The ACF2 dataset rules for the datasets restrict READ access to automated operations users and operations personnel. The ACF2 dataset rules for the datasets do not 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 dataset and Resource Data Collection: - SENSITVE.RPT(HCDUSER). Automated Analysis Refer to the following report produced by the dataset and Resource Data Collection: - PDI(ZHCD0002). Verify that the access to the IBM HCD install datasets is properly restricted. The datasets to be protected are the production and working IODF datasets as well as the activity log for the IODF datasets. If the following guidance is true, this is not a finding. Note: Currently on most CSD systems the prefix for these datasets is SYS3.IODF*.**. The ACF2 dataset rules for the datasets restrict WRITE and/or greater access to systems programming personnel. The ACF2 dataset rules for the datasets restrict READ access to automated operations users and operations personnel. The ACF2 dataset rules for the datasets do not 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 user datasets is limited to systems programmers, and all WRITE and/or greater access is logged. Ensure that READ access is limited to auditors, operations personnel, and automated operations users. The installing systems programmer will identify and document the product datasets, categorize them according to who will have WRITE and/or greater access, and if required, ensure that all WRITE and/or greater access is logged. The installing systems programmer will identify if any additional groups have UPDATE access for specific datasets, and once documented, will work with the ISSO to ensure they are properly restricted to the Access Control Program (ACP) active on the system. Datasets to be protected will be: The production IODF datasets (i.e., hhhhhhhh.IODFnn) The working IODF datasets (i.e., hhhhhhhh.IODFnn) The activity log for the IODF datasets (i.e., hhhhhhhh.IODFnn.ACTLOG) Note: Currently on most CSD systems the prefix for these datasets is SYS3.IODF.*. The following commands are provided as a sample for implementing dataset controls: SET RULE $KEY(S3I) $PREFIX(SYS3) IODF-.- UID(syspaudt) R(A) W(L) A(L) E(A) DATA(DEFAULT SYSPROG) IODF-.- UID(tstcaudt) R(A) W(L) A(L) E(A) IODF-.- UID(audtaudt) R(A) E(A) DATA(DEFAULT Auditor) IODF-.- UID(autoaudt) R(A) E(A) IODF-.- UID(operaudt) R(A) E(A)

✔️ Fix

The ISSO will ensure that WRITE and/or greater access to program product user datasets is limited to systems programmers, and all WRITE and/or greater access is logged. Ensure that READ access is limited to auditors, operations personnel, and automated operations users. The installing systems programmer will identify and document the product datasets, categorize them according to who will have WRITE and/or greater access, and if required, ensure that all WRITE and/or greater access is logged. The installing systems programmer will identify if any additional groups have UPDATE access for specific datasets, and once documented, will work with the ISSO to ensure they are properly restricted to the Access Control Program (ACP) active on the system. Datasets to be protected will be: The production IODF datasets (i.e., hhhhhhhh.IODFnn) The working IODF datasets (i.e., hhhhhhhh.IODFnn) The activity log for the IODF datasets (i.e., hhhhhhhh.IODFnn.ACTLOG) Note: Currently on most CSD systems the prefix for these datasets is SYS3.IODF*.**. The following commands are provided as a sample for implementing dataset controls: SET RULE $KEY(S3I) $PREFIX(SYS3) IODF-.- UID(syspaudt) R(A) W(L) A(L) E(A) DATA(DEFAULT SYSPROG) IODF-.- UID(tstcaudt) R(A) W(L) A(L) E(A) IODF-.- UID(audtaudt) R(A) E(A) DATA(DEFAULT Auditor) IODF-.- UID(autoaudt) R(A) E(A) IODF-.- UID(operaudt) R(A) E(A)