In the looming cyber security landscape, cyber-attacks are likely to cost companies a staggering $10.5 trillion per year, as per McKinsey & Company.
The resources that could be employed to expand business, empower innovation, and build a more promising future for businesses and customers alike will be pivoted toward mitigating cyber threats.
Cyber-attacks are becoming frequent, smart, sophisticated, more expensive, refined, and more threatening to businesses of all sizes and in this evolving era of cybercrime, relying on an age-old security system is like bringing a knife to a gunfight.
The need for robust cyber security measures is more pressing than ever.
So, what about your AS400 iSeries security?
As an IBM i user, do you wonder if you benefit from a special layer of protection that keeps your system safe?
Let’s explore.
How Secure Is AS400? Why It’s a Top Choice for Security, Even Today?
You may start to worry about your IBM iSeries security, which could be a nightmare. But things are not like that.
Just think about the day when you decided to opt for AS400, and you may get to know that your current strategy and procedure already have a solid foundation.
So, the good news is IBM iSeries applications are traditionally secured, making it an excellent platform for protecting business assets.
It has built-in-security components such as two-factor authentication, identity, and access management making it challenging for hackers to attempt an effortless breach.
This established resilient environment makes it a top choice among IT leaders, especially in the 21st century.
If your chosen solution is designed flexibly, you can add modern security features to the current AS400 security software.
AS400 iSeries security is a proven winner and allows a purpose-built application secured in standard web, mobile, and desktop methods. It is the next evolution of the services in such terms.
However, it would be an overstatement to claim that it is inherently secured and doesn’t require any additional security measures to protect it from modern cyber attackers.
As an IBM i user, you might be curious about assessing your system’s resilience against modern cyber-attacks, right?
Let’s understand it in the sense of an example:
AS400/iSeries Security needs users to log in to the application in each session. The security measures start at the time of login and authorization so managing user identity and registration is critical.
IBM security focuses on simplicity while providing specific authorization flows for desktop and mobile apps. Moreover, AS400 iSeries service providers offer out-of-the-box support. You can enable the registration of clients from the management support or even optionally open for public client registration.
From a security standpoint, the advantage is that each request only attracts a small amount of data that the specific microservice needs. So, in the case of any compromise, the petitioner does not get access to the entire system — and gets only the specific data as per the requests.
The record system remains in your IBM i system and becomes the central repository for all your authentication needs. So, the cyber villains would have to cross two levels of authentication.
The proficient AS400 iSeries security service partners offer SSO (Single Sign-On) on the gateway and relay tokens downstream to all other microservices. This is a critical difference from other solutions which allows the authentication to go through clients’ presently used system.
In terms of timing, execution is straightforward, and the service can go out of the box so that you will see minimum downtime to your existing system. In addition to this, there are several benefits that you will see. Such as-
- Easy token management via client application registration
- Safe user validation with integrated identity management
- The ability to allocate access to services
- Simple user interface
We hope that you have got the answer to your question ‘How secure is AS400?’
As we navigate through the need for robust IBM i security in place, the AS 400 platform, when paired with strategic planning and integration, stands as a reliable defense against cyber villains.
Now, with this example, you have realized the security capabilities of IBM and gained insight into how AS400 iSeries service providers impressively strengthen your iSeries security.
As you now have a deeper understanding of the iSeries security standards, the next important question arises- ”How often should leaders evaluate the security of your AS400 system?”
Let’s unravel.
How Often Should Leaders Audit and Assess their iSeries Security?
Before we dive into the details, let’s enlighten you about the benefits of AS400 Security Software assessment:
The benefits include:
- Identifying breaches in real-time and in advance
- Identifying potential vulnerabilities on your IBM i system
- Check the status of the right controls and remote activity controls
- Identifying and managing the number of high-level access users on your IBM i
- Recommend effective solutions to overcome identified security shortcomings
Ironically, many leaders do not take IBM security seriously until they are affected by a significant security incident, highlighting the critical need for a strong security culture.
AS400 iSeries Security evaluation and improvement is usually a reactive process rather than an active one.
Most IBM i users have configured the security of their systems years ago, and now they will change it only if they need a new one or if any security issue arises.
Can you relate?
It’s recommended to perform IBM security audits at least once or twice a year.
You can also get it done on a monthly or quarterly basis. Different AS400 systems have different audit schedules, depending on the nature of the complexity.
For the best answer, consult a trusted AS400/iSeries Security service partner and they can provide tailored recommendations based on your unique system.
As you are well-versed in the significance of security assessment, we have exclusive insights into when decision-makers, like yourself, typically undertake AS400 Security Software assessments.
When do Technology Leaders Usually Audit and Update their AS400 iSeries Security?
Here is a rough calendar of the times when business leaders using IBM i are most interested and least interested in auditing and updating their IBM AS400 iSeries security.
Let’s look at when the technology leaders like you, are most interested in IBM iSeries security audits and updates:
The security audits occur in the events of –
- Audit security breaches
- Major Security breaches
- Arrival of customer auditors
- Arrival of regulatory auditors
- Industry safety rules or regulations affecting security
- Incorporate last year’s safety points during this year’s audit
The times when leaders are less interested in IBM i / AS400 Security audits and updates:
- When there is a busy company season
- When there is summer and winter vacation
- When there are no immediate safety requirements
- When there is a problem in engaging with external security consultants
- When there is a Holiday season such as Thanksgiving or the New Year
In most of these cases, IBM iSeries AS400 security update and evaluation is event-driven rather than active.
It’s ideal to bring in an IBM security consultant to analyse and discover the vulnerabilities that your system may have.
However, there are a few challenges associated with it:
- This process can be expensive and IT departments may not always have the right budget for it.
- Many security experts hold expertise in Windows server security, network equipment security, and routers. However, very few professionals hold relevant experience in analyzing and updating the intricacies of AS400/iSeries Security.
As a result, it’s relatively easier to find someone to review and evaluate your Windows and network security than to find someone to audit and evaluate your IBM iSeries security.
Now, as you aware of when IT leaders are keen on auditing AS400 iSeries security and when they aren’t, let’s understand how a technology partner can help enhance the security of AS400.
How a Technology Solutions Partner Can Help You Strengthen Your AS400 Security?
Investing in a proficient AS400 technology partner who understands the ins and outs of IBM i, pays off in the long run.
They help you gain a deeper understanding of the system, best practices, and intelligence in order to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.
They also offer free IBM iSeries security reviews.
Now, the question remains – Are Free AS400 security reviews legitimate?
Let’s understand what these Free Reviews are and what you can expect out of it.
What are Free AS400 IBM i Security Reviews? What to expect?
To keep up with updates and find out the vulnerabilities in your IBM i system before bad auditors or actors find them, selected iSeries security service providers offer free AS400 iSeries security assessments that technology leaders like you can take advantage of, free of cost.
To help you understand what’s in a free assessment, let’s take a look at the free security assessment program.
Moving forward, let’s understand what you should be expecting of these Free Reviews.
The IBM security consultants take a closer look at your system’s security vulnerabilities and risks that you may have overlooked or may not be aware of.
They help you produce detailed reports covering potential threats and vulnerabilities in several security areas, including:
- Weak links
- System values
- User permissions
- Password control
- Network access issues
- And other common audit issues
You may start thinking – for that detailed review of your AS400 iSeries security provisions, would it be safe to allow access to a third-party IBM security consultant?
You are thinking just right.
Let’s understand the nitty-gritty of it.
Who Does the AS400 iSeries Security Assessment? Is it safe?
Concerned about granting access to outsiders?
You need not allow an outsider to log in to your IBM i system to evaluate the security of your AS400 iSeries system.
The service providers have a pre-developed iSecurity assessment PC software package that you can download, install, and run on your PC, not on your IBM iSeries partitions.
No one from the iSeries security service provider’s team intervenes with your IBM AS400 iSeries operations; instead, the software itself evaluates the security for you.
And since you’re downloading software on a distinct computer instead of an IBM iSeries, you are able to run iSecurity assessment reports on many IBM i systems.
After conducting the assessment, IBM i security experts review the report’s findings for you, to identify security vulnerabilities in your system and understand how to enhance the security.
You need not go through the results yourself.
You already have experienced professionals working on the AS400 iSeries security framework who enlighten you about potential threats and vulnerabilities in your system and the best ways to overcome them.
With the innate intricacies, iSeries security invites a bunch of queries and riddles that technology leaders like you are seeking answers for.
As an IBM security consulting partner, we have figured a few pointed questions that might help you.
Let’s look at some frequently triggered questions around AS400 security.
Frequently Asked Questions about AS400 iSeries Security
What Are the Different Levels of AS400 iSeries Security?
The AS/400 represents a system value – QSECURITY that decides the level of security the system will execute. From no security to improved security, there are multiple security levels.
Why Is AS400 Secure?
The AS/400 is known for its reliable security features. The server has integrated security traits offering ample protection against disapproved access to data.
However, it is not enough in the age of growing cyber threats. You must implement advanced security features to offer robust protection to your system.
Conclusion
We are confident that you have gained essential insights into the importance of the overall AS400 iSeries security.
We believe that you are seeking an AS400 security software consultant who eases your security burden, protects your AS 400 system with suitable standards, and instills a sense of confidence and peace of mind in you and your team.
We will be delighted to help you, to build a highly secure AS400 Security Software environment that remains resilient against sophisticated cyber threats.
We, at Integrative Systems, are expert AS400 security professionals with 25+ years of industry experience, committed to helping you succeed first.
Based out of Chicago, Illinois, we hold expertise in fixing severe iSeries security challenges and development initiatives as our experts and experienced professionals are available 24*7 for your help.
If you are looking for a AS400 iSeries security assessment or an expert security problem-solver for your IBM AS-400 system or facing any other security issue, feel free to connect with us at [email protected] and our experts will reach out to you within the next 2 business days.
