Skip to main content
Version: v1.12.x LTS

Configuring the z/OS system for Zowe

Last updated
:  |
0 min read
|
Edit this page
 PDF
 Open doc issue

Configure the z/OS security manager to prepare for launching the Zowe started tasks.

If Zowe has already been launched on a z/OS system from a previous release of Version 1.8 or later, then you are applying a newer Zowe build. You can skip this security configuration step unless told otherwise in the release documentation.

A SAMPLIB JCL member ZWESECUR is provided to assist with the security configuration. You can submit the ZWESECUR JCL member as-is or customize it depending on site preferences. The JCL allows you to vary which security manager you use by setting the PRODUCT variable to be one of RACF, ACF2, or TSS.

// SET PRODUCT=RACF * RACF, ACF2, or TSS

If ZWESECUR encounters an error or a step that has already been performed, it will continue to the end, so it can be run repeatedly in a scenario such as a pipeline automating the configuration of a z/OS environment for Zowe installation.

It is expected that the security administrator at a site will want to review, edit where necessary, and either execute ZWESECUR as a single job or else execute individual TSO commands one by one to complete the security configuration of a z/OS system in preparation for installing and running Zowe.

If you want to undo all of the z/OS security configuration steps performed by the JCL member ZWESECUR, Zowe provides a reverse member ZWENOSEC that contains the inverse steps that ZWESECUR performs. This is useful in the following situations:

  • You are configuring z/OS systems as part of a build pipeline that you want to undo and redo configuration and installation of Zowe using automation.
  • You have configured a z/OS system for Zowe that you no longer want to use and you prefer to delete the Zowe user IDs and undo the security configuration settings rather than leave them enabled.

If you run ZWENOSEC on a z/OS system, then you will no longer be able to run Zowe until you rerun ZWESECUR to reinitialize the z/OS security configuration.

When you run the ZWESECUR JCL, it does not perform the following initialization steps. Therefore, you must complete these steps manually for a z/OS environment.

The ZWESECUR JCL performs the following initialization steps so you do not need to perform them manually if you have successfully run the JCL. These steps are included for reference if you prefer to manually configure the z/OS environment or want to learn more about user IDs, groups, and associated security permissions that are required to operate Zowe.

Grant users permission to access z/OSMF#

TSO user IDs using Zowe must have permission to access the z/OSMF services that are used by Zowe. They should be added to the group with appropriate z/OSMF privileges, IZUUSER or IZUADMIN by default. This step is not included in ZWESECUR because it must be done for every TSO user ID who wants to access Zowe's z/OS services. The list of those user IDs is not known by ZWESECUR and will typically be the operators, administrators, developers, or anyone else in the z/OS environment who is logging in to Zowe.

Note: You can skip this section if you use Zowe without z/OSMF. Zowe can operate without z/OSMF but services that use z/OSMF REST APIs will not be available, specifically the USS, MVS, and JES Explorers and the Zowe Command Line Interface files, jobs, workflows, tso, and console groups.

For every TSO user ID that is going to log on to Zowe and use services that require z/OSMF,

  • If you use RACF, issue the following command:

    CONNECT (userid) GROUP(IZUUSER)

  • If you use CA ACF2, issue the following commands:

    ACFNRULE TYPE(TGR) KEY(IZUUSER) ADD(UID(<uid string of user>) ALLOW)
    F ACF2,REBUILD(TGR)

  • If you use CA Top Secret, issue the following commands:

    TSS ADD(userid) PROFILE(IZUUSER)
    TSS ADD(userid) GROUP(IZUUSRGP)

Configure an ICSF cryptographic services environment#

The zssServer uses cookies that require random number generation for security. To learn more about the zssServer, see the Zowe architecture. Integrated Cryptographic Service Facility (ICSF) is a secure way to generate random numbers.

If you have not configured your z/OS environment for ICSF, see Cryptographic Services ICSF: System Programmer's Guide for more information. To see whether ICSF has been started, check whether the started task ICSF or CSF is active.

The Zowe z/OS environment configuration JCL member ZWESECUR does not perform any steps related to ICSF that is required for zssServer that the Zowe desktop uses. Therefore, if you want to use Zowe desktop, you must perform the steps that are described in this section manually.

To generate symmetric keys, the ZWESVUSR user who runs ZWESVSTC requires READ access to CSFRNGL in the CSFSERV class.

Define or check the following configurations depending on whether ICSF is already installed:

  • The ICSF or CSF job that runs on your z/OS system.

  • The configuration of ICSF options in SYS1.PARMLIB(CSFPRM00), SYS1.SAMPLIB, SYS1.PROCLIB.

  • Create CKDS, PKDS, TKDS VSAM data sets.

  • Define and activate the CSFSERV class:

    • If you use RACF, issue the following commands:

      RDEFINE CSFSERV profile-name UACC(NONE)
      PERMIT profile-name CLASS(CSFSERV) ID(tcpip-stackname) ACCESS(READ)
      PERMIT profile-name CLASS(CSFSERV) ID(userid-list) ... [for
      userids IKED, NSSD, and Policy Agent]
      SETROPTS CLASSACT(CSFSERV)
      SETROPTS RACLIST(CSFSERV) REFRESH

    • If you use CA ACF2, issue the following commands (note that profile-prefix and profile-suffix are user-defined):

      SET CONTROL(GSO)
      INSERT CLASMAP.CSFSERV RESOURCE(CSFSERV) RSRCTYPE(CSF)
      F ACF2,REFRESH(CLASMAP)
      SET RESOURCE(CSF)
      RECKEY profile-prefix ADD(profile-suffix uid(UID string for tcpip-stackname) SERVICE(READ) ALLOW)
      RECKEY profile-prefix ADD(profile-suffix uid(UID string for IZUSVR) SERVICE(READ) ALLOW)

      (repeat for userids IKED, NSSD, and Policy Agent)

      F ACF2,REBUILD(CSF)

    • If you use CA Top Secret, issue the following command (note that profile-prefix and profile-suffix are user defined):

      TSS ADDTO(owner-acid) RESCLASS(CSFSERV)
      TSS ADD(owner-acid) CSFSERV(profile-prefix.)
      TSS PERMIT(tcpip-stackname) CSFSERV(profile-prefix.profile-suffix) ACCESS(READ)
      TSS PERMIT(user-acid) CSFSERV(profile-prefix.profile-suffix) ACCESS(READ)

      (repeat for user-acids IKED, NSSD, and Policy Agent)

Notes:

Configure security environment switching#

Typically, the user ZWESVUSR that the ZWESVSTC started task runs under needs to be able to change the security environment of its process to allow API requests to be issued on behalf of the logged on TSO user ID, rather than the server's user ID. This capability provides the functionality that allows users to log on to the Zowe desktop and use apps such as the File Editor to list data sets or USS files that the logged on user is authorized to view and edit, rather than the user ID running the Zowe server. This technique is known as impersonation.

To enable impersonation, you must grant the user ID ZWESVUSR associated with the ZWESVSTC started task UPDATE access to the BPX.SERVER and BPX.DAEMON profiles in the FACILITY class.

You can issue the following commands first to check whether you already have the impersonation profiles defined as part of another server configuration, such as the FTPD daemon. Review the output to confirm that the two impersonation profiles exist and the user ZWESVUSR who runs the ZWESVSTC started task has UPDATE access to both profiles.

  • If you use RACF, issue the following commands:
    RLIST FACILITY BPX.SERVER AUTHUSER
    RLIST FACILITY BPX.DAEMON AUTHUSER
  • If you use CA Top Secret, issue the following commands:
    TSS WHOHAS IBMFAC(BPX.SERVER)
    TSS WHOHAS IBMFAC(BPX.DAEMON)
  • If you use CA ACF2, issue the following commands:
    SET RESOURCE(FAC)
    LIST BPX

If the user ZWESVUSR who runs the ZWESVSTC started task does not have UPDATE access to both profiles follow the instructions below.

  • If you use RACF, complete the following steps:

    1. Activate and RACLIST the FACILITY class. This may have already been done on the z/OS environment if another z/OS server has been previously configured to take advantage of the ability to change its security environment, such as the FTPD daemon that is included with z/OS Communications Server TCP/IP services.

      SETROPTS GENERIC(FACILITY)
      SETROPTS CLASSACT(FACILITY) RACLIST(FACILITY)

    2. Define the impersonation profiles. This may have already been done on behalf of another server such as the FTPD daemon.

      RDEFINE FACILITY BPX.SERVER UACC(NONE)
      RDEFINE FACILITY BPX.DAEMON UACC(NONE)

    3. Having activated and RACLIST the FACILITY class, the user ID ZWESVUSR who runs the ZWESVSTC started task must be given update access to the BPX.SERVER and BPX.DAEMON profiles in the FACILITY class.

      PERMIT BPX.SERVER CLASS(FACILITY) ID(<zwesvstc_user>) ACCESS(UPDATE)
      PERMIT BPX.DAEMON CLASS(FACILITY) ID(<zwesvstc_user>) ACCESS(UPDATE)

      where <zwesvstc_user> is ZWESVUSR unless a different user ID is being used for the z/OS environment.

      / Activate these changes /

      SETROPTS RACLIST(FACILITY) REFRESH

    4. Issue the following commands to check whether permission has been successfully granted:

      RLIST FACILITY BPX.SERVER AUTHUSER
      RLIST FACILITY BPX.DAEMON AUTHUSER

  • If you use CA Top Secret, complete the following steps:

    1. Define the BPX Resource and access for <zwesvstc_user>.
      TSS ADD(`owner-acid`) IBMFAC(BPX.)
      TSS PERMIT(<zwesvstc_user>) IBMFAC(BPX.SERVER) ACCESS(UPDATE)
      TSS PERMIT(<zwesvstc_user>) IBMFAC(BPX.DAEMON) ACCESS(UPDATE)
      where <zwesvstc_user> is ZWESVUSR unless a different user ID is being used for the z/OS environment.
    2. Issue the following commands and review the output to check whether permission has been successfully granted:
      TSS WHOHAS IBMFAC(BPX.SERVER)
      TSS WHOHAS IBMFAC(BPX.DAEMON)

  • If you use CA ACF2, complete the following steps:

    1. Define the BPX Resource and access for <zwesvstc_user>.
      SET RESOURCE(FAC)
      RECKEY BPX ADD(SERVER ROLE(<zwesvstc_user>) SERVICE(UPDATE) ALLOW)
      RECKEY BPX ADD(DAEMON ROLE(<zwesvstc_user>) SERVICE(UPDATE) ALLOW)
      where <zwesvstc_user> is ZWESVUSR unless a different user ID is being used for the z/OS environment.
      F ACF2,REBUILD(FAC)
    2. Issue the following commands and review the output to check whether permission has been successfully granted:
      SET RESOURCE(FAC)
      LIST BPX

Configure address space job naming#

The user ID ZWESVUSR that is associated with the Zowe started task ZWESVSTC must have READ permission for the BPX.JOBNAME profile in the FACILITY class. This is to allow setting of the names for the different z/OS UNIX address spaces for the Zowe runtime components. See Address space names.

To display who is authorized to the profile, issue the following command:

RLIST FACILITY BPX.JOBNAME AUTHUSER

Additionally, you need to activate facility class, permit BPX.JOBNAME, and refresh facility class:

SETROPTS CLASSACT(FACILITY) RACLIST(FACILITY)
PERMIT BPX.JOBNAME CLASS(FACILITY) ID(ZWESVUSR) ACCESS(READ)
SETROPTS RACLIST(FACILITY) REFRESH

For more information, see Setting up the UNIX-related FACILITY and SURROGAT class profiles in the "z/OS UNIX System Services" documentation.

Configure multi-user address space (for TSS only)#

The ZWESVSTC started task is multi-user address space, and therefore a TSS FACILITY needs to be defined and assigned to the started task. Then, all acids signing on to the started task will need to be authorized to the FACILITY.

The following example shows how to create a new TSS FACILITY.

Example:

In the TSSPARMS, add the following lines to create the new FACILITY:

FACILITY(USER11=NAME=ZOWE)
FACILITY(ZOWE=MODE=FAIL)
FACILITY(ZOWE=RES)

For more information about how to administer Facility Matrix Table, see How to Perform Facility Matrix Table Administration.

To assign the FACILITY to the started task, issue the following command:

TSS ADD(ZWESVUSR) MASTFAC(ZOWE)

To authorize a user to sign on to the FACILITY, issues the following command:

TSS ADD(user_acid) FAC(ZOWE)

User IDs and groups for the Zowe started tasks#

Zowe requires a user ID ZWESVUSR to execute its main z/OS runtime started task ZWESVSTC. This user ID must have a valid OMVS segment.

Zowe requires a user ID ZWESIUSR to execute the cross memory server started task ZWESISTC. This user ID must have a valid OMVS segment.

Zowe requires a group ZWEADMIN that both ZWESVUSR and ZWESIUSR should belong to. This group must have a valid OMVS segment.

If you have run ZWESECUR, you do not need to perform the steps described in this section, because the TSO commands to create the user IDs and groups are executed during the JCL sections of ZWESECUR.

/* group for started tasks */
...
/* userid for ZOWE main server */
...
/* userid for XMEM cross memory server */
...

If you have not run ZWESECUR and are manually creating the user ID and groups in your z/OS environment, the commands are described below for reference.

  • To create the ZWEADMIN group, issue the following command:

    ADDGROUP ZWEADMIN OMVS(AUTOGID) -
    DATA('STARTED TASK GROUP WITH OMVS SEGEMENT')

  • To create the ZWESVUSR user ID for the main Zowe started task, issue the following command:

    ADDUSER ZWESVUSR -
    NOPASSWORD -
    DFLTGRP(ZWEADMIN) -
    OMVS(HOME(/tmp) PROGRAM(/bin/sh) AUTOUID) -
    NAME('ZOWE SERVER') -
    DATA('ZOWE MAIN SERVER')

  • To create the ZWESIUSR group for the Zowe cross memory server started task, issue the following command:

    ADDUSER ZWESIUSR -
    NOPASSWORD -
    DFLTGRP(ZWEADMIN) -
    OMVS(HOME(/tmp) PROGRAM(/bin/sh) AUTOUID) -
    NAME('ZOWE XMEM SERVER') -
    DATA('ZOWE XMEM CROSS MEMORY SERVER')

Configure ZWESVSTC to run under ZWESVUSR user ID#

When the Zowe started task ZWESVSTC is started, it must be associated with the user ID ZWESVUSR and group ZWEADMIN. A different user ID and group can be used if required to conform with existing naming standards.

If you have run ZWESECUR, you do not need to perform the steps described in this section, because they are executed during the JCL section of ZWESECUR.

/* started task for ZOWE main server */
...

If you have not run ZWESECUR and are configuring your z/OS environment manually, the following steps describe how to configure the started task ZWESVSTC to run under the correct user ID and group.

  • If you use RACF, issue the following commands:

    RDEFINE STARTED ZWESVSTC.* UACC(NONE) STDATA(USER(ZWESVUSR) GROUP(ZWEADMIN) PRIVILEGED(NO) TRUSTED(NO) TRACE(YES))
    SETROPTS REFRESH RACLIST(STARTED)

  • If you use CA ACF2, issue the following commands:

    SET CONTROL(GSO)
    INSERT STC.ZWESVSTC LOGONID(ZWESVUSR) GROUP(ZWEADMIN) STCID(ZWESVSTC)
    F ACF2,REFRESH(STC)

  • If you use CA Top Secret, issue the following commands:

    TSS ADDTO(STC) PROCNAME(ZWESVSTC) ACID(ZWESVUSR)

Configure the cross memory server for SAF#

Zowe has a cross memory server that runs as an APF-authorized program with key 4 storage. Client processes accessing the cross memory server's services must have READ access to a security profile ZWES.IS in the FACILITY class. This authorization step is used to guard against access by non-priviledged clients.

If you have run ZWESECUR you do not need to perform the steps described in this section, as they are executed during the JCL section of ZWESECUR.

/* permit Zowe main server to use XMEM cross memory server */
...

If you have not run ZWESECUR and are configuring your z/OS environment manually, the following steps describe how to configure the cross memory server for SAF.

Activate the FACILITY class, define a ZWES.IS profile, and grant READ access to the user ID ZWESVUSR. This is the user ID that the Zowe started task ZWESVSTC runs under.

To do this, issue the following commands that are also included in the ZWESECUR JCL member. The commands assume that you run the ZWESVSTC under the ZWESVUSR user.

  • If you use RACF, issue the following commands:

    • To see the current class settings, use:
      SETROPTS LIST
    • To define and activate the FACILITY class, use:
      SETROPTS GENERIC(FACILITY)
      SETROPTS CLASSACT(FACILITY)
    • To RACLIST the FACILITY class, use:
      SETROPTS RACLIST(FACILITY)
    • To define the ZWES.IS profile in the FACILITY class and grant Zowe's started task userid READ access, issue the following commands:
      RDEFINE FACILITY ZWES.IS UACC(NONE)
      PERMIT ZWES.IS CLASS(FACILITY) ID(<zwesvstc_user>) ACCESS(READ)
      where <zwesvstc_user> is the user ID ZWESVUSR under which the ZWESVSTC started task runs.
      SETROPTS RACLIST(FACILITY) REFRESH
    • To check whether the permission has been successfully granted, issue the following command:
      RLIST FACILITY ZWES.IS AUTHUSER
      This shows the user IDs who have access to the ZWES.IS class, which should include Zowe's started task user ID with READ access.

  • If you use CA ACF2, issue the following commands:

    SET RESOURCE(FAC)
    RECKEY ZWES ADD(IS ROLE(IZUSVR) SERVICE(READ) ALLOW)
    F ACF2,REBUILD(FAC)

  • If you use CA Top Secret, issue the following commands, where owner-acid can be IZUSVR or a different ACID:

    ```
    TSS ADD(`owner-acid`) IBMFAC(ZWES.)
    ```
    ```
    TSS PERMIT(ZWESVUSR) IBMFAC(ZWES.IS) ACCESS(READ)
    ```

    Notes:

  • The cross memory server treats "no decision" style SAF return codes as failures. If there is no covering profile for the ZWES.IS resource in the FACILITY class, the request will be denied.

  • Cross memory server clients other than Zowe might have additional SAF security requirements. For more information, see the documentation for the specific client.

On this page