Clarification on XCOM for Z/OS security interface modules

Products

• XCOM Data Transport - z/OS

Issue/Introduction

The XCOM online documentation, in section XCOM Security Considerations,  describes several security interface modules to be optionally customized depending on the security product used by the system.

• XCOMACF2 to interact with CA-ACF2
• XCOMTOPS to interact with CA.Top Secret
• XCOMRACF to interact with IBM RACF
• XCOMSEC to interact with all of them

The description about which one needs to be configured and assembled is a bit confusing

Environment

Release : 12.0

Component : XCOM Data Transport for z/OS

Resolution

Fix RO94308 Enhancement Support for Passphrase is the most important factor. This fix adds support for passphrases with all of the three supported security products and also restructures the security interface adding new module XCOMSEC that replacesthe interface modules specific to each security product.

 

The rule is:

• When RO94308 is NOT APPLIED, then the instructions regarding XCOMACF2, XCOMTOPS or XCOMRACF apply depending on the security product installed onsite.
• When RO94308 is APPLIED, then only XCOMSEC module is used so the instructions for the other modules do not apply

 

Normally, XCOMSEC module does not require customization and can be used as delivered. However, it is distributed also in source form to allow sites to customize it for any special needs.