Protecting Your System from Unauthorized Use




	NOTE: The MPE/iX operating system has been enhanced as of Release 4.5 and 5.0 to include additional features. For more information on these features, refer to the book, New Features of MPE/iX: Using the Hierarchical File System (32650-90351), included in this documentation set.

A user's most important concern is the security of the work done on the system. Confidential, proprietary, and sensitive information requires further protection from access by unauthorized persons. A secure system environment uses access restrictions to maintain reliable file security.

To assign passwords to new accounts, groups, and users

Passwords can be established for new accounts, groups, and users. Use the PASS= parameter to the NEWACCT, NEWGROUP, and NEWUSER commands, when creating an account, group, or user.

To assign an account password to a new account
:NEWACCT acctname,mgrname;PASS=password Return
You must have system manager (SM) capability to use the NEWACCT command.
To assign a group password to a new group
:NEWGROUP groupname.acctname;PASS=password Return
You must have account manager (AM) capability to use the NEWGROUP command.
To assign a user password to a new user
:NEWUSER username.acctname;PASS=password Return
You must have account manager (AM) capability to use the NEWUSER command.

To assign passwords to existing accounts, groups, and users

Passwords can be added to existing accounts, groups, and users by adding the PASS= parameter to the ALTACCT, ALTGROUP, and ALTUSER commands.

To add or change a password of an existing account
:ALTACCT acctname;PASS=password Return
You must have system manager (SM) capability to use the ALTACCT command.
To add or change a password of an existing user
:ALTUSER username.acctname;PASS=password Return
You must have account manager (AM) capability to use the ALTUSER command.
To add or change a password of an existing group
:ALTGROUP groupname.acctname;PASS=password Return
You must have account manager (AM) capability to use the ALTGROUP command.

To delete passwords

A password can be deleted from an account, group, or user by entering the PASS= parameter with no password specified.

To delete an existing account password
:ALTACCT acctname;PASS= Return

To delete an existing group password

   :ALTGROUP groupname.acctname;PASS= Return

To delete an existing user password

   :ALTUSER username.acctname;PASS= Return

The following example removes the group password from the QTR3 group of the PAYROLL account. You must have account manager (AM) capability.

   :ALTGROUP QTR3.PAYROLL;PASS= Return

To change your user password

Any user can change the password of his or her account using the PASSWORD command. There are no special user capabilities needed to use this command.

   :PASSWORD Return

The system prompts the user for the former password, the new replacement password, and a verification of the new password. To maintain security, passwords do not appear on the screen.

   :PASSWORD Return

   ENTER OLD USER PASSWORD: Return

   ENTER NEW USER PASSWORD: Return

   ENTER NEW USER PASSWORD AGAIN: Return

   PASSWORD WAS CHANGED SUCCESSFULLY

To display passwords

There may be instances when it is necessary to find out what passwords have been assigned to accounts, users, and groups.

To display account password

To display an account password to the screen, use the LISTACCT command providing the account name, followed by the ;PASS option:

   :LISTACCT acctname;PASS Return

You must have either account manager (AM) or system manager (SM) capability to see the account password.

To display a user password

To display a user password to the screen, use the LISTUSER command providing the user's name, followed by the ;PASS option:

   :LISTUSER username;PASS Return

You must have either account manager (AM) or system manager (SM) capabilities to see the user password.

To display a group password

To display a group password on the screen, use the LISTGROUP command, providing the group's name, followed by the ;PASS option:

   :LISTGROUP groupname;PASS Return

You must have either account manager (AM) or system manager (SM) capability to see group passwords.

In each case, if you are the system administrator locating passwords for other accounts from your system manager account, remember to include the account name.

Any problems?

Did you forget your password?
Contact the system administrator, who will be able to find out what password has been assigned to you. If you are the system administrator, follow the procedures listed in the "To display passwords" section of this chapter.