IBM zOS inapplicable PPT entries must be invalidated.
An XCCDF Rule
Description
<VulnDiscussion>It is detrimental for operating systems to provide, or install by default, functionality exceeding requirements or mission objectives. These unnecessary capabilities or services are often overlooked and therefore may remain unsecured. They increase the risk to the platform by providing additional attack vectors. Operating systems are capable of providing a wide variety of functions and services. Some of the functions and services, provided by default, may not be necessary to support essential organizational operations (e.g., key missions, functions). Examples of non-essential capabilities include, but are not limited to, games, software packages, tools, and demonstration software, not related to requirements or providing a wide array of functionality not required for every mission, but which cannot be disabled. Invalid or inapplicable PPT entries exist, a venue is provided for the introduction of trojan horse modules with security bypass capabilities.</VulnDiscussion><FalsePositives></FalsePositives><FalseNegatives></FalseNegatives><Documentable>false</Documentable><Mitigations></Mitigations><SeverityOverrideGuidance></SeverityOverrideGuidance><PotentialImpacts></PotentialImpacts><ThirdPartyTools></ThirdPartyTools><MitigationControl></MitigationControl><Responsibility></Responsibility><IAControls></IAControls>
- ID
- SV-223785r868862_rule
- Severity
- Medium
- References
- Updated
Remediation - Manual Procedure
Review the PPT and define all entries associated with nonexistent or inapplicable modules as invalidated. Nullify the invalid IEFSDPPT entry by ensuring that there is a corresponding SCHED entry, which confers no special attributes.
Use the following recommendations and techniques to provide protection for the PPT:
Review the IEFSDPPT module and all programs that IBM has, by default, placed in the PPT to validate their applicability to the execution system. Refer to the IBM z/OS MVS Initialization and Tuning Reference documentation for the version and release of z/OS installed at the individual site for the actual contents of the default IEFSDPPT.