Kisco Gives IBM i Security Tool a Web Interface

August 20, 2013 Alex Woodie

Administrators can view information about the security of their IBM i servers from the comfort of a Web browser with the latest release of SafeNet/i from Kisco Information Systems. The new Web-Central interface, unveiled last week, lets administrators do everything they could do under the 5250 green-screen interface, and a few extra things, too.

SafeNet/i is a network security tool that uses IBM i exit points to lock down common but potentially dangerous routes of access to the IBM i server, such as IBM i Navigator, ODBC, and FTP connections. The software, which Kisco says was the first network access product when it was unveiled 17 years ago, logs all exit point activity, and also uses IBM journaling to keep an irrefutable log of any configuration changes made to the security tool itself.

With version 10, administrators can now perform 100 percent of their tasks in the tool from a Web interface called Web-Central. This includes administrative controls, transaction history review options, and global settings control. “All functions previously available via the classic 5250 interface are now available using the Web-Central interface,” Kisco says.

IBM i administrators can do everything they need to in SafeNet/i using the new Web-Central interface that was recently launched.

But wait, there is more! Not only does Web-Central give the user everything they could do in green screen, they get several additional views that are not offered in 5250. This includes a “quick” status review that pops up when an administrator first logs in, providing security warnings and providing current status information.

From this screen, the admin can select a more detailed status report, or select a global review of all users currently registered within SafeNet/i. According to Kisco, “this display panel shows users authorized for remote access along with quick links to the details for each type of access.” From here, administrators can drill down to view the details, remove the users completely, or register new users using existing rules.

Web-Central is served from a new Apache server instance that is installed on the IBM i server. All configuration objects to get the new server up and running are included with the software, Kisco says. The Web-Central installation is a secondary process that begins after the initial SafeNet/i program objects are loaded.