A Practical Approach to Logical Access Control

With the increasing dependence of modern business on computer systems, the prevention of unauthorized access to these resources becomes ever more crucial. Access control mechanisms are one of the most important means of securing the 'host' mainframe and mid-range computers.

A Practical Approach to Logical Access Control provides a much-needed holistic look at this specific area, placing it within the wider context of general information security. The book begins by establishing broad conceptual framework for access path analysis. This is intended as both a structured overview and an applicable method for auditing and designing access control mechanisms. This logical approach is then applied in detail to particular computer systems. IBM's mainframe and mid-range computers, including the RS/6000 which raises the wider issue of UNIX security, are discussed in terms of the implementation of this methodology. DEC's VAX(VMS system, Siemens Nixdorf's BS2000 and Tandem's Guardian 90 are also considered in this way.

Information system auditors and security consultants analysing security mechanisms will find this practical approach invaluable, as will all managers concerned with minimising business risk in this vulnerable area.

Special features:

• Fills the existing gap between coverage of general computer security and purely technical issues
• Puts the specific issues of logical access control into the context of general IT security
• Provides an applicable structured method of logical access path analysis
• Deals with the practical implementation of access control on the most commonly-used operating systems

1. Introduction
1. Audience
2. Acknowledgements
2. An approach to logical access control
1. Introduction
2. The informatoin security framework
3. Logical access control
4. Recent developments in computer security evaluation
5. Conclusions
6. Acknowledgements
7. References and further reading
• PART 1 IBM MAINFRAME
3. The MVS environment
1. Introduction
2. The data communication software layer
3. The transaction software layer
4. The application software layer
5. The data access methods layer
6. The operating system: Multiple Virtual Storage (MVS)
7. The access control products
8. Conclusions
9. Further reading
4. The VSE environment
1. Introduction
2. The data communication software Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM)
3. The transaction software layer
4. The application software layer
5. The data access methods layer
6. The operating system: Virtual System Extended (VSE)
7. The access control products
8. Conclusions
9. Further reading
5. The VM enironment
1. Introduction
2. The data communication software Virtual Telecommunications Access Method (VTAM)
3. The transaction software layer
4. The application software layer
5. The data access methods layer
6. The operating system: Virtual Machine (VM)
7. The access control products
8. Conclusions
9. Further reading
• PART 2 IBM MIDRANGE
6. AS/400 access control
1. Introduction
2. The data communication software layer
3. The transaction software layer
4. The application software layer
5. The data access methods layer
6. Object security
7. The operating system: OS/400
8. Conclusions
9. Further reading
7. RS/6129 Access control
1. Introduction
2. The data communication software layer
3. The transaction software layer
4. The application software layer
5. The data access methods layer
6. AIX operating system
7. File system
8. Conclusions
9. Further reading
• PART 3 DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
8. VAX/Virtual Memory System (VMS)
1. Introduction
2. The data communication software layer
3. The transaction software layer
4. The application software layer
5. The data access methods layer
6. Object protection
7. The VMS operating system
8. Conclusions
9. Further reading
• PART 4 OTHER SYSTEMS
9. Siemens Nixdorf: BS2175
1. Introduction
2. The data communication software layer
3. The transaction software layer
4. The application software layer
5. The data access methods layer
6. Operating system
7. Access control software
8. Conclusions
9. Further reading
10. Tandem: GUARDIAN 90
1. Introduction
2. The data communication software layer
3. The transaction software layer
4. The application software layer
5. The data access methods layer
6. The GUARDIAN operating system
7. The Access control package Safeguard
8. Conclusions
9. Further reading

Ernst & Young knows as always what they are doing. An excellent book that I personally use as a reference.