MacKinney Systems, Inc.

CICS security for transactions, terminals and users

Are security issues keeping you on CICS 2.3?

Everyone needs security but lately it seems the choices are painful. Do you feel like you are being forced to use a cumbersome external security package with a reputation of having big learning curve and of being an administrative nightmare? If you are looking for a simpler alternative, CICS/SignOn can help.

SignOn provides user authentication and transaction security for CICS without requiring application changes.

Is SignOn a solution looking for a problem?
Hardly, here's why. CICS native security (DFHSNT) has been removed or dramatically changed in all new releases of CICS for MVS and VSE. As you face CICS version upgrades, you will be forced to address several issues:

  • Do we purchase a full-blown external security package? If so, how much re-training will we have to do? How long will it take to install and configure the package? What if I only want security in my CICS?
  • How do we secure our CICS transactions? Transaction security can no longer be defined on CICS transactions.
  • Will we have to change CICS programs retrieving USERID and OPID from EXEC CICS INQUIRE and ASSIGN commands?
  • How will users be differentiated from one another on CICS without being able to sign on?
  • We use auto-install, so user security can't be based on terminal ids. What do we do?

The solution? SignOn

  • MacKinney Systems CICS/SignOn provides seamless integration of CICS signon/signoff into the new CICS releases which have security removed or dramatically changed. Your existing transaction, terminal, and user security definitions can be migrated in one quick and easy step.
  • SignOn is for CICS installations that wish to upgrade to new releases of CICS but do not want full-blown external security packages. CICS/SignOn provides CICS signon/signoff for users, transaction security, terminal security and transparent support for programs to continue doing EXEC CICS INQUIRE TERMINAL and EXEC CICS ASSIGN commands for USERID and OPID.
  • CICS/SignOn gives your users the ability to signon/signoff of CICS with the same look and feel of CICS native security. Users do not have to be retrained, and applications do not need to be changed.
  • CICS/SignOn runs under MVS CICS TS 1.3 or higher and VSE CICS/ESA 2.3 and higher.