IBM z/OS must specify SMF data options to assure appropriate activation.

An XCCDF Rule

Description

<VulnDiscussion>Without establishing when events occurred, it is impossible to establish, correlate, and investigate the events leading up to an outage or attack. In order to compile an accurate risk assessment and provide forensic analysis, it is essential for security personnel to know when events occurred (date and time). Associating event types with detected events in the operating system audit logs provides a means of investigating an attack; recognizing resource utilization or capacity thresholds; or identifying an improperly configured operating system. SMF data collection is the basic unit of tracking of all system functions and actions. Included in this tracking data are the audit trails from each of the ACPs. If the control options for the recording of this tracking are not properly maintained, then accountability cannot be monitored, and its use in the execution of a contingency plan could be compromised. Satisfies: SRG-OS-000038-GPOS-00016, SRG-OS-000039-GPOS-00017, SRG-OS-000040-GPOS-00018, SRG-OS-000041-GPOS-00019, SRG-OS-000042-GPOS-00021, SRG-OS-000254-GPOS-00095, SRG-OS-000269-GPOS-00103</VulnDiscussion><FalsePositives></FalsePositives><FalseNegatives></FalseNegatives><Documentable>false</Documentable><Mitigations></Mitigations><SeverityOverrideGuidance></SeverityOverrideGuidance><PotentialImpacts></PotentialImpacts><ThirdPartyTools></ThirdPartyTools><MitigationControl></MitigationControl><Responsibility></Responsibility><IAControls></IAControls>

ID: SV-223546r533198_rule
Severity: Medium
References: CCI-000131 CCI-000132 CCI-000133 CCI-000134 CCI-000135 CCI-001464 CCI-001665
Updated: 9 months ago

Ensure that collection options for SMF Data are consistent with options specified below.

Review all SMF recording specifications found in SMFPRMxx members. Ensure that SMF recording options used are consistent with those outlined below.

The settings for several parameters are critical to the collection process:
ACTIVE Activates the collection of SMF data.

MAXDORM(mmss) Specifies the amount of real time that SMF allows data to remain in an SMF buffer before it is written to a recording data set. Use the MAXDORM parameter to minimize the amount of data lost because of system failure. This value is site determined and should be carefully configured.

SID Specifies the system ID to be recorded in all SMF records.

SYS(DETAIL) Controls the level of detail recorded.

SYS(INTERVAL) Ensures the periodic recording of data for long running jobs.

SYS Specifies the types and sub types of SMF records that are to be collected. SYS(TYPE) indicates that the supplied list is inclusive (i.e., specifies the record types to be collected). Record types not listed are not collected. SYS(NOTYPE) indicates that the supplied list is exclusive (i.e., specifies those record types not to be collected). Record types not listed are not collected. The site may use either form of this parameter to specify SMF record type collection. However, at a minimum all record types listed.

IBM z/OS must specify SMF data options to assure appropriate activation.

Description

Remediation - Manual Procedure