Wednesday, August 26, 2015

IPv6/VSE SSH Secure Copy for z/VSE


BSTTSCPY SSH Secure Copy Facility


Over the years, Barnard Software, Inc., has received a number of requests to provide SSH or SSH like functionality. However, VSE/ESA and z/VSE does not provide the basic foundation for this type of function.

At the same time we have wondered “What exactly would you do with SSH on z/VSE?” It is a good question since z/VSE does not have a 'shell' or interactive command environment. When we ask this question more often that not we hear “Well, we have to transfer data to someone that requires we use SSH.” 

For this we can provide a solution.

The IPv6/VSE BSTTSCPY SSH Secure Copy Facility uses a Linux Pass-through image to facilitate an SSH connection to remote hosts providing for secure file transfer using SSH to and from z/VSE.

SSH


SSH is the standard world wide for secure access to systems.
Secure Shell, or SSH, is a cryptographic (encrypted) network protocol for initiating text-based shell sessions on remote machines in a secure way.

This allows a user to run commands on a machine's command prompt without them being physically present near the machine. It also allows a user to establish a secure channel over an insecure network in a client-server architecture, connecting an SSH client application with an SSH server. Common applications include remote command-line login and remote command execution, but any network service can be secured with SSH. The protocol specification distinguishes between two major versions, referred to as SSH-1 and SSH-2.

The most visible application of the protocol is for access to shell accounts on Unix-like operating systems, but it sees use on Windows as well. In 2015 Microsoft announced that they would include native support for SSH in a future release.

SSH was designed as a replacement for Telnet and other insecure remote shell protocols such as the Berkeley rsh and rexec protocols, which send information, notably passwords, in plaintext, rendering them susceptible to interception and disclosure using packet analysis. The encryption used by SSH is intended to provide confidentiality and integrity of data over an unsecured network, such as the Internet.

Secure Copy


Secure copy or SCP is a means of securely transferring computer files between a local host and a remote host. It is based on the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol.

SFTP vs. FTPS


FTPS (also known as FTP-ES, FTP-SSL and FTP Secure) is an extension to the commonly used File Transfer Protocol (FTP) that adds support for the Transport Layer Security (TLS) and the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) cryptographic protocols.

FTPS should not be confused with the SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), an incompatible secure file transfer subsystem for the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol. It is also different from FTP over SSH, the practice of tunneling FTP through an SSH connection.

In the past, CSI and IBM have written manuals describing a “Secure FTP Facility” for z/VSE. This facility is FTPS (FTP using SSL). It is not SFTP (FTP over SSH). IPv6/VSE provides FTPS (FTP over SSL) also.

The Secure Copy facility provided by IPv6/VSE is not SFTP or FTPS.

Secure Copy Concepts


The following diagram shows how the BSTSTSCPY Secure Copy Facility transfers data to and from z/VSE using a Linux Pass-through image.

BSTTSCPY using a Linux Pass-through Image


This is the basic overview of the IPv6/VSE Secure Copy Facility and the Linux Pass-through Image.















The BSTTSCPY application running on z/VSE connects to the bsttscpyd (BSTTSCPY Daemon) running on the Linux Pass-through image. From there, the bsttscpyd uses SSH to connect to the destination remote host. Data transferred from BSTTSCPY running on z/VSE to the bsttscpyd is clear text. The data transferred by SSH is, of course, encrypted.

BSTTSCPY Using Linux on System z















This is the recommended configuration.

In this configuration we suggest using a Hipersockets connection between z/VSE and the Linux Pass-through image. This is very fast. This configuration also guarantees no clear text data ever leaves the System z machine.

Linux Fast Path (LFP)


IBM's Linux Fast Path (LFP) can also be used in this configuration. Using LFP, BSTTSCPY can communicate with bsttscpyd running on the Linux Path-Tthough image using IUCV.
LFP also provides access to z/VM IP Assist which can be used to access the network on supported System z hardware, providing access to bsttscpyd running on an x86_64 Linux Pass-through image.

















BSTTSCPY Using x86_64 Intel


















If you do not have a Linux on System z machine available to run the bsttscpyd, you still can use this feature. You can use one of these options.
  1. An x86_64 Intel Linux machine
  2. A 64-bit Windows 7 (or newer) machine
    Running either ...
    1. 64-bit Cygwin
    2. Virtual Box
      Running an x86_64 Intel Linux image


Some customers have suggested that this is not a 'secure' configuration and I have been mystified by these comments. 

A good network administrator can easily make this configuration completely secure.

First, the subnet used by the BSTTSCPY facility in z/VSE would be different than the usual production subnet. E.g., If the production subnet is 192.168.0.0/16 then the subnet used by the BSTTSCPY facility might be 172.16.1.0/24.

Second, the NIC's used by the System z machine and the PC would be connected to the same layer 2 switch. This means traffic from these systems would never go outside of the switch being used.

Next, traffic from these systems would use a special/unique VLAN.

And, this is the key. By using a special VLAN for this traffic, it is physically separate from all other traffic on the LAN. This provides excellent security for the data transfers.


Why Use a Linux Pass-through Image?


The SSH connections from the Linux Pass-through image use public key authentication. Public key authentication allows you to login to a remote host via the SSH protocol without a password and is more secure than password-based authentication.

Password authentication is not supported and can not be used with the BSTTSCPY Secure Copy facility.

There are several benefits to using a Linux Pass-through image.
  1. SSH is basic to all Linux OS installations.
  2. SSH and Linux are Open Source
  3. Support and updates are provided by the Linux distribution 
    E.g., SUSE, Red Hat.
  4. FIPS 140-2 Certification of OpenSSH and OpenSSL
  5. All cryptographic overhead is offloaded to the Linux Pass-through image.
    CPU overhead of cryptographic functions can be very high.
  6. No data is stored on the Linux Pass-through image.
The last item is critical. The Linux Pass-through image is used only for SSH (and its functionality). No data is stored on the Linux Pass-through image at any time.

The Linux Pass-through image can be a Linux on System z (zLinux) image, an x86-64 Intel Linux image or a Windows system hosting a Linux Pass-through image. When using a Windows host both Cygwin and VirtualBox Linux images are supported.


Linux Pass-through Image


Once you have access to the Linux Pass-through image, you will want to create the user that will run the bsttscpyd daemon. This can be root but it is not required. Since no data is stored on the Linux Pass-through image the user used can be a normal user.

Authentication


The SSH connections from the Linux Pass-through image to destination remote hosts use public key authentication. Public key authentication allows you to login to a remote host via the SSH protocol without a password and is more secure than password-based authentication.

Password authentication is not supported and can not be used with the BSTTSCPY Secure Copy facility.

SSH keys provide a more secure way of logging into a virtual private server with SSH than using a password alone. While a password can eventually be cracked with a brute force attack, SSH keys are nearly impossible to decipher by brute force alone. Generating a key pair provides you with two long string of characters: a public and a private key. You can place the public key on any server, and then unlock it by connecting to it with a client that already has the private key. When the two match up, the system unlocks without the need for a password. 


BSTTSCPY


The basic structure of the z/VSE BSTTSCPY application is similar to the IPv6/VSE BSTTFTPC application. Remember, SSH transfers all data in binary form. So, if translation of the data is necessary you must tell BSTTSCPY to handle this function.

BSTTSCPY requires IPv6/VSE Build 256pre17 (or later).

Feature code 'S' is required for use of the IPv6/VSE BSTTSCPY application. If your IPv6/VSE license key does not have feature code 'S' in it, you will need to contact Barnard Software, Inc. for an updated license key.

The IPv6/VSE BSTTSCPY application (like BSTTFTPC, BSTTMTPC, etc.) requires a minimum 8M partition for execution.

BSTTSCPY can use the IPv6/VSE BSTTINET/BSTT6NET TCP/IP stacks as well as the TCP/IP for VSE TCP/IP stack.

The Basic Process


Identify the stack and connect to the bsttscpyd you want to access.

Define the INPUT or OUTPUT data.

Specify options. E.g., TYPE A (Convert to ASCII) etc. Most of the options used for a BSTTFTPC FTP client data transfer can be used with BSTTSCPY also.

Define the destination remote host, userid and port.

STOR or RETR the data.

And, finally QUIT. 

Basic JCL


// EXEC BSTTSCPY,SIZE=BSTTSCPY          

ID nn                                   

OPEN ...                       

*                                       
INPUT ...
TYPE A
*                                       
PORT 22                                 
HOST user@host                  
STOR file.name                        
*                                       
QUIT                                    
/*                                      


Just like BSTTFTPC, BSTTSCPY commands are used in pairs. The INPUT command is paired with the STOR command and the OUTPUT command paired with the RETR command.

IPv6/VSE for VSE/ESA and z/VSE


More information about the IPv6/VSE SSH Secure Copy facility is available in the IPv6/VSE SSH Secure Copy Supplement Guide. This manual is part of the IPv6/VSE download available from the BSI website. 



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