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MAINFRAME SECURITY

Vanguard together with Adsotech offer the most advanced and integrated portfolio of enterprise security products and services. The portfolio was the first to offer fully automated baseline configuration scanner for Mainframe DISA STIGs— the Gold Standard for Security. Vanguard Administrative Solutions are industry leading, powerful cybersecurity solutions for z/OS environments that automate processes, offer powerful reporting with real-time management, and provide control over policy administration and mainframe security monitoring

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Challenges associated with Mainframe Security

  • Complexity and Fragmentation: Managing various security tools and processes across the enterprise can be complex and fragmented, leading to inefficiencies and potential security gaps. 

  • Compliance Pressure: Adhering to industry security standards and regulations, can be challenging and time-consuming, particularly in dynamic and evolving security landscapes. 

  • Manual Overhead: Manual execution of security tasks and processes is time-intensive and prone to human errors, which can result in security vulnerabilities. 

  • Lack of Real-time Insights: Without real-time reporting and management capabilities, identifying and responding to security threats in a timely manner becomes difficult. 

  • Inconsistent Policies: Managing security policies across a complex environment can lead to inconsistencies and deviations, increasing the risk of security breaches. 

  • Potential Security Breaches: Inadequate monitoring and response mechanisms can leave organizations vulnerable to security breaches, putting sensitive data and critical systems at risk. 

VANGUARD ez/SIGNON™

VANGUARD ez/SIGNON™ is a single password sign-on solution for multi-platform environments. It redirects authentication from different platforms to the z/OS Security Server™ (RACF®), automatically collects user id Information for administrators, and allows end users to utilize the same password to safely sign onto multiple systems in the enterprise, including Windows, Novell, Sun Solaris®, HP-UX™, Red Hat Linux®, AIX®, and others. 

ez/SIGNON™ Key capabilities

  • Delivers a universal single-password sign-on solution across corporate enterprise. 

  • Users only need to remember a single password. 

  • Improved productivity of both employee and security administration staff. 

  • Simplified company-wide password sign-on  

  • Single-password synchronization across a variety of platforms. 

  • Intrusion detection. 

ez/Signon

VANGUARD Administrator™ (RACF, ACF2, TSS)

Vanguard Administrator is the industry’s leading mainframe administration tool for z/OS, RACF, ACF2, and TSS. Previously arduous processes are now in many cases, single step actions that can be accomplished without expert knowledge of RACF or significant investment in training. Administrator solves the problem of increased workloads and operating complexity with easy-to-use security automation features and delivers the tools and processes that will help manage z/OS security servers. 

Administrator™ Key capabilities

  • Optimized Resource Utilization: With Vanguard Administrator, you gain the tools and processes necessary to master z/OS security servers. This optimized resource utilization translates to enhanced security management, smoother operations, and effective resource allocation. 

  • Operating Simplicity: Solution navigates the challenges of increased workloads and operating complexities with ease. The solution's intuitive security automation features lighten the load on your team, allowing you to focus on strategic tasks while ensuring impeccable security standards. 

  • Empowering User-Friendly Automation: Vanguard Administrator introduces user-friendly security automation with effortless navigation through tasks, routine processes automation, and elevating operational efficiency. 

  • Proactive Security Management: Vanguard Administrator stays ahead of emerging threats. It tackles potential security vulnerabilities before they become critical issues. 

Administrator

Vanguard Analyzer™ (FRACF, ACF2, and TSS) 

Vanguard Analyzer provides risk analysis and mitigation requirements in easy-to-read panels. System auditors can review Analyzer findings in order of priority and mitigate accordingly.

Analyzer™ Key capabilities

  • Automated Risk Identification: RiskMinder™ operates silently in the background, autonomously pinpointing potential threats to system integrity. This automation saves valuable time and resources while ensuring that risks are promptly detected. 

  • Real-time Risk Notifications: Users are promptly alerted whenever RiskMinder™ identifies a risk. This immediate notification allows for swift attention to any potential issues, enabling proactive risk management. 

  • Expert-level Risk Assessment: SmartAssist™ offers an advanced assessment of identified risks. Its expert-level analysis provides detailed insights into potential threats, enabling users to make informed decisions regarding corrective actions. 

  • Tailored Corrective Recommendations: SmartAssist™ not only identifies risks but also offers tailored recommendations for corrective actions. This guidance streamlines the process of addressing potential issues effectively and efficiently. 

  • Simplified Communication: Message text is composed in clear and concise business language. This simplification enhances communication and comprehension, ensuring that even those with varying knowledge levels can easily grasp the content and take necessary actions. 

  • Enhanced Accessibility: By presenting risk assessments in a ranked manner, ranging from informational to critical security breaches, users can prioritize their attention based on severity. This hierarchy aids in resource allocation and ensures that immediate action is taken when required. 

  • Comprehensive Audit Guidance: The Vanguard Audit Workprogram acts as a comprehensive guide, leading users through the step-by-step process of conducting an exhaustive z/OS system audit using Vanguard Analyzer. This guidance simplifies what could otherwise be a complex task. 

Analyzer

Vanguard Advisor™ (FRACF, ACF2, and TSS) 

Vanguard Advisor provides complete collection and reporting of system events to enable powerful forensic analysis. Advisor is a customizable event-driven engine providing notifications and real-time reporting on security events and changes to security sub-systems. 

Advisor™ Key capabilities

  • Complete command reconstruction: user can recreate any or all RACF commands issued on system, ensuring a comprehensive view of system activity for enhanced security analysis. 

  • Flexible reporting with multiple data sources:  vanguard's advisor offers multiple data input sources, enabling users to generate standard or customized reports that provide valuable insights into your system's security landscape. 

  • Instant intrusion awareness with real-time notification: feature promptly alerts user to host-based intrusions and changes in the RACF environment, enabling immediate response to security breaches and alterations that require investigation. 

  • Fast suspicious activity identification: solution allows user to easily spot suspicious activity during regular security monitoring or security remediation. Also, it identifies excessive access to sensitive resources and takes immediate action to address potential threats. 

  • Powerful system management facility (SMF): vanguard's advisor harnesses the power of SMF data, providing you with a robust foundation for comprehensive security analysis and informed decision-making. 

Advisor

Vanguard SecurityCenter™

Vanguard SecurityCenter™ is a Windows GUI interface to provide point-and-click security administration for both z/OS Security Server and DB2 environments. Vanguard SecurityCenter™ saves time and money with a Windows GUI for security administration on z/OS Security Server for non-systems Z specialists or users with limited z/OS experience. It provides real-time administration functionality for z/OS Security Server and DB2, with point-and-click, across windows-compatible desktop and mobile devices. Enables automated recurring, time-consuming “task-oriented” administration. Allows comparing profiles on the same or different databases. Automatically generates the correct commands to accompany each action. 

SecurityCenter™ Key capabilities

  • Effortless Security Management: The solution automates and simplifies routine security administrative tasks, streamlining your workflow and reducing the time and effort required for these activities. This means less manual work and more focus on strategic tasks. 

  • Seamless DB2 Security Administration: With the ability to perform DB2 security administration, the solution ensures that database security remains robust and up to date, mitigating potential vulnerabilities and safeguarding your valuable data. 

  • Efficient Command Generation: The solution enables the swift creation of commands that can be easily exported, reviewed, and submitted by senior personnel. This accelerates decision-making and response times. 

  • Enhanced Auditing Capabilities: By allowing "view only" access to auditing security databases, the solution empowers the team to conduct comprehensive security audits without the risk of unintended modifications. This helps in maintaining compliance and identifying potential issues. 

  • Delegation of User Administration: The solution relieves system administrators from mundane help desk duties. Authorized personnel can perform user administration tasks without requiring the system-special or group-special attribute. This enhances operational efficiency by distributing responsibilities effectively. 

Security Center

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