How to setup TPX for Passphrase in a Top Secret Environment
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How to setup TPX for Passphrase in a Top Secret Environment

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Article ID: 17636

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Updated On: 05-14-2025

Products

TPX - Session Management

Issue/Introduction

Configure Passphrase in TPX for a  Top Secret Environment.

Environment

Release: 5.4
Component: TPX for Z/os

Resolution

This document outlines the process that needs to be completed in TPX to validate Passphrase credentials in a Top Secret environment.
This document does not cover Passphrase implementation in Top Secret or Z/Os which is beyond the scope of this document and not covered.

NOTE: Before making any changes it is recommended to  back up the production TPX, ADMIN1 and ADMIN2 databases and
            the active SMRT configuration. 

The following TPX (5.4) PTFs are required for Passphrase implementation in a Top Secret environment:

  • PTF RO84473 - ACF2PWPH OUT OF SEQUENCE ERROR MSGS
  • PTF RO66029 - PASSPHRASE S0C1 FREESLOT+1B0
  • PTF RO71425 - ONLY USERID AND PASSWORD SENT TO AFFINITY TPX
  • PTF RO72179 - VARIABLE SNVPSWDV NOT WORKING ON TEN0003 PANEL
  • PTF RO72995 - PREVENT S0C4 IN SECVNPW+6E6 R3=0 FROM UIDXPWPH
  • PTFs RO73376, RO73377 and RO73378 - UPPER CASE PSWD IN PWSD PHRASE ENVIRONMENT  

Sites using German Panels should also apply:

  • PTF RO88547 - PASSPHRASE LOGON PANEL TGE1003 - GERMAN

 

1. SMRT configuration changes.
        Ensure that the size for Slot Pool 5 for above the line storage is set to 208 bytes

       This needs to be done regardless whether a site utilizes Passphrases or not.
       This change accommodates the user control block (UID) increase for maintaining passphrases.                

             
             TPX System Options Table Detail Panel 

 

                                                                Panelid  - TEN0103 
Command ===>                                                    Userid   - ________
                                                                Terminal - _______
   System Options Table: SMRTDEMO                               Date      - nn/nn/nn
                                                                Time      - xx:xx:xx
   Storage Allocated (above 16m line)                                         
   ----------------------------------                                         
                                                                              
       XA Storage:     032768 K                                               
       DSA Percentage:     20 %                                               
                                                                              
 Pool#  Size  Percent    Pool#  Size  Percent    Pool#  Size  Percent         
 --------------------    --------------------    --------------------         
   1.    0032    08        2.    0064    06        3.    0128    10          
   4.    0136    08        5.    0208    02        6.    0352    04           
   7.    0456    06        8.    0512    13        9.    1024    06           
  10.    2048    21       11.    4096    14       12.    8192    02           
                                                                              
                       XA Slot Percentage Total: 100 %                        
                                                                              
  Last Slot change is for Pool 5, Size should be 208                          
                                                                              
F1=Help    PF3=End    PF4=Return    PF7=Prev    PF8=Next    "CANCEL" cancel   

 

 2.  Managing the case of Passwords and Passphrases

When there is a need to address a mixed environment of upper case passwords and mixed case passphrases
(where passwords are automatically set to upper case while passphrases are left in mixed case), 
PTFs RO73376, RO73377 and RO73378 UPPER CASE PSWD IN PWSD PHRASE ENVIRONMENT are required.

These PTFs affect the available fields within the SMRT and will modify how passwords and passphrases are handled by TPX:

    1. Without PTFs RO73376, RO73377 and RO73378 applied:

      Most Passphrase sites use mixed case passwords. If a site plans to use mixed case passwords then:
      Set "Y" in field "Allow Lower Case Pswds:" on the TEN0090 panel (SMRT option - 9 Security Parameters).


    2. With PTFs RO73376, RO73377 and RO73378 applied:

      Field "Allow Lower Case Pswds:" will just be for passwords and not passphrases - default is "N".
      New Field "Upper Case Pswd Phrases" will be for passphrases only - default is "N".
      Adjust them accordingly on the TEN0090 panel (SMRT option - 9 Security Parameters).


3. Set "Default LOGO" field to TEN1003

** Replace Logo panel TEN0003 (SMRT option - 8 Operational Parameters) with  TEN1003 for Passphrase signons.

Panel TEN0003 is recommended to validate userid and password of up to 8 characters.
Panel TEN1003 is recommended to validate userid and passphrase  between 9 and 100 characters long.

Either Passphrases or Passwords can be entered on the TEN1003 panel.
Panel TEN0003 should only be used for password verification.

The TEN1003 panel allows users at a site to verify:

    • A valid userid and passphrase combination has been entered.
    • A valid userid, passphrase and optionally a new passphrase has been entered.
    • A valid userid and password combination has been entered.
    • A valid userid, password and optionally a new password has been entered.

         Set the Default LOGO parameter to TEN1003 when passphrase signon is attempted.

 

Additional Information

For more information on panels TEN0003 and TEN1003, review Password Verification.