Overview

SYSTEM SECURITY AND INTEGRITY are of critical importance as we enter the new millennium. This chapter presents information that helps the DCL programmer create procedures that maintain system security. It also explain how to use DCL to control access to files and other resources of an OpenVMS system, while preventing the user from gaining unrestricted access to the system.

OpenVMS security features can be used to permit access to information and to system resources, and can also be use to prevent access. Additional security features also provide the ability to audit system activity.

Most commonly, you will be called upon to develop a procedure that will allow access to files or to system resources, access that a user would not ordinarily possess. System security and integrity will be important considerations during this development process. Security refers to which users and which applications can access the system and the data. Integrity is equally important, as it indicates the level of trust users can place in the system and the data.

This chapter assumes DECnet Phase IV command syntax. Equivalent capabilities are available under DECnet-Plus, though a different command syntax is required.

24.1 Captive and Restricted Logins

OpenVMS users are typically not restricted: they can enter DCL commands interactively. There may be times when you will not want certain users to have unrestricted command access, however. As an example, you may want to allow a user to perform a fully privileged operation, such as a file system backup, but without allowing...