The IBM z/VM SYSTEM CONFIG file must be configured to clear TDISK on IPL.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-78895	IBMZ-VM-000710	SV-93601r1_rule		Medium

Description
Preventing unauthorized information transfers mitigates the risk of information, including encrypted representations of information, produced by the actions of prior users/roles (or the actions of processes acting on behalf of prior users/roles) from being available to any current users/roles (or current processes) that obtain access to shared system resources (e.g., registers, main memory, hard disks) after those resources have been released back to information systems. The control of information in shared resources is also commonly referred to as object reuse and residual information protection. This requirement generally applies to the design of an information technology product, but it can also apply to the configuration of particular information system components that are, or use, such products. This can be verified by acceptance/validation processes in DoD or other government agencies. There may be shared resources with configurable protections (e.g., files in storage) that may be assessed on specific information system components.

Description

Preventing unauthorized information transfers mitigates the risk of information, including encrypted representations of information, produced by the actions of prior users/roles (or the actions of processes acting on behalf of prior users/roles) from being available to any current users/roles (or current processes) that obtain access to shared system resources (e.g., registers, main memory, hard disks) after those resources have been released back to information systems. The control of information in shared resources is also commonly referred to as object reuse and residual information protection. This requirement generally applies to the design of an information technology product, but it can also apply to the configuration of particular information system components that are, or use, such products. This can be verified by acceptance/validation processes in DoD or other government agencies. There may be shared resources with configurable protections (e.g., files in storage) that may be assessed on specific information system components.

STIG	Date
IBM z/VM Using CA VM:Secure Security Technical Implementation Guide	2018-04-04

Details

Check Text ( C-78481r1_chk )
Examine the SYSTEM CONFIG file. If the “Feature” statement specifies ENABLE CLEAR_TDISK, this is not a finding.

Fix Text (F-85645r1_fix)
Ensure that the following statement is in the SYSTEM CONFIG file: FEATURES ENABLE CLEAR_TDISK Further, before a minidisk is assigned to a user, the minidisk must be formatted to clear it of any residual data. CMS FORMAT, ICKDSF, or any other low-level formatting program that erases all of the data on the minidisk may be used.