Assignment of the RACF OPERATIONS attribute to individual userids must be fully justified.

Overview

Finding ID	Version	Rule ID	IA Controls	Severity
V-294	RACF0720	SV-294r3_rule		Medium

Description
A user possessing the OPERATIONS attribute has authorization to do maintenance operations on all RACF-protected data sets, tape volumes, and DASD volumes except those where the access list specifically limits the OPERATIONS user to a lower access authority than the operation requires. Because the OPERATIONS and GROUP-OPERATIONS privileges allow widespread access they should be limited to users documented with a valid requirement. Delegation of GROUP-OPERATIONS processing to other personnel by site-defined Group Administrators is forbidden.

Description

A user possessing the OPERATIONS attribute has authorization to do maintenance operations on all RACF-protected data sets, tape volumes, and DASD volumes except those where the access list specifically limits the OPERATIONS user to a lower access authority than the operation requires. Because the OPERATIONS and GROUP-OPERATIONS privileges allow widespread access they should be limited to users documented with a valid requirement. Delegation of GROUP-OPERATIONS processing to other personnel by site-defined Group Administrators is forbidden.

STIG	Date
z/OS RACF STIG	2018-10-04

Details

Check Text ( C-19571r2_chk )
a) Refer to the following reports produced by the RACF Data Collection: - DSMON.RPT(RACUSR) - DSMON.RPT(RACGRP) - RACFCMDS.RPT(LISTUSER) Automated Analysis requires Additional Analysis. Refer to the following report produced by the RACF Data Collection: - PDI(RACF0720) b) Ensure the following items are in effect regarding the OPERATIONS attribute: 1) Authorization to the SYSTEM OPERATIONS attribute is restricted to key systems personnel, such as individuals responsible for continuing operations, Storage Management, and emergency recovery. 2) At minimum, ensure that any users connected to sensitive system dataset HLQ groups with the Group-OPERATIONS are key systems personnel, such as individuals responsible for continuing operations, Storage Management, and emergency recovery. . Otherwise, Group-OPERATIONS is allowed. c) If both items in (b) are true, there is NO FINDING. d) If either item in (b) is untrue, this is a FINDING.

Check Text ( C-19571r2_chk )

a) Refer to the following reports produced by the RACF Data Collection:

- DSMON.RPT(RACUSR)
- DSMON.RPT(RACGRP)
- RACFCMDS.RPT(LISTUSER)

Automated Analysis requires Additional Analysis.
Refer to the following report produced by the RACF Data Collection:

- PDI(RACF0720)

b) Ensure the following items are in effect regarding the OPERATIONS attribute:

1) Authorization to the SYSTEM OPERATIONS attribute is restricted to key systems personnel, such as individuals responsible for continuing operations, Storage Management, and emergency recovery.
2) At minimum, ensure that any users connected to sensitive system dataset HLQ groups with the Group-OPERATIONS are key systems personnel, such as individuals responsible for continuing operations, Storage Management, and emergency recovery.
. Otherwise, Group-OPERATIONS is allowed.

c) If both items in (b) are true, there is NO FINDING.

d) If either item in (b) is untrue, this is a FINDING.

Fix Text (F-448r1_fix)
Review all USERIDs with the OPERATIONS attribute. Ensure documentation providing justification for access is maintained and filed with the IAO, and that unjustified access is removed. A sample command to remove the OPERATIONS attribute from a userid is shown here: ALU NOOPERATIONS To remove the Group-Operations attribute: CO GROUP() NOOPERATIONS