List of the Top 14 Mainframe Security Solutions for IBM z/OS in 2025

UKM proficiently identifies, manages, and oversees SSH user keys, all while guaranteeing that business operations continue without any interruptions and that workflows remain efficient. It systematically detects and evaluates existing keys, verifies secure connections, extends authorizations, and removes inactive keys as needed. With no changes to procedures or doubts about compliance, it also aids in lowering costs during this process. UKM stands out as an exemplary choice for companies of all sizes that value the management and safeguarding of their secure shell environments. The system is designed to automatically track SSH key activity, adjust access rights, and pinpoint as well as eliminate any potentially dangerous or redundant keys, ensuring that normal operations are not disrupted. By centralizing oversight and automating the management of keys, organizations can greatly reduce the expenses tied to SSH keys, potentially leading to significant savings each year. While SSH is widely regarded as the premier method for securing data transfers, poorly handled SSH keys can introduce critical security vulnerabilities. UKM effectively confronts these issues, guaranteeing both security and regulatory adherence for its clientele. Furthermore, its capability to simplify key management processes empowers organizations to dedicate more time to their primary functions, rather than getting overwhelmed by key management challenges, ultimately enhancing overall productivity. This dual focus on security and efficiency positions UKM as an invaluable asset in today’s digital landscape.

This continuous monitoring tool significantly boosts the security of even the strongest mainframe systems. SDS IronSphere for z/OS not only supports compliance with regulations required by U.S. agencies but also stands out in its capability for automatic z/OS STIG compliance monitoring, which is a crucial aspect among its numerous security compliance features tailored for the mainframe setting. Created by experts well-versed in mainframe penetration testing and security compliance, IronSphere adheres to important guidelines necessary for fulfilling security compliance obligations across multiple industries. This solution enables ongoing and automatic detection of system vulnerabilities while providing clear remediation instructions as part of its evaluation results. Additionally, the findings are securely archived within the tool, allowing compliance auditors to confirm that your z/OS system is consistently monitored and adheres to ISCM and RMF standards, thereby strengthening the security framework for your organization. The functionalities of this tool not only aid in averting potential breaches but also bolster overall trust in the security stance of the mainframe environment, ensuring that organizations can maintain a proactive approach to cybersecurity challenges. As the landscape of threats evolves, having such a robust monitoring solution becomes increasingly essential for safeguarding critical infrastructure.

We specialize in cybersecurity, dedicated to safeguarding vital information throughout its lifecycle for leading organizations around the world. Our self-service tool, SSHerlock, allows users to assess their SSH key inventory and understand the associated risks while ensuring post-quantum resilience, all at no charge. Beyond this, we provide solutions like passwordless authentication, operational technology (OT) security, and various defensive cybersecurity services. As we look to the future, what major trends are expected to shape the landscape of cybersecurity in the next year? PrivX is perfectly designed for the secure oversight and management of superuser and power user access within hybrid cloud settings, effectively eliminating the use of harmful privileged passwords in critical infrastructures. UKM Zero Trust automates and streamlines the lifecycle management of millions of encryption keys, enhancing risk mitigation and facilitating successful audits, all while promoting keyless access. Furthermore, our innovative software solution, NQX, offers unmatched performance and security, raising the bar for cybersecurity products. As technology advances, staying abreast of emerging trends will be essential for fortifying security frameworks and ensuring resilience against evolving threats. It is imperative for organizations to proactively adapt their strategies in response to these anticipated changes.

SDS is actively involved in the distribution, support, and continuous improvement of the esteemed E-Business Server, a true OpenPGP encryption solution originally developed by the renowned cryptography expert Phil Zimmerman. Utilizing the power of OpenPGP encryption technology along with flexible APIs, the SDS E-Business Server offers strong encryption functionalities that effortlessly integrate with a wide variety of applications and systems, including mainframes. This server is specifically designed for organizations that require the highest level of security for data that is stored internally, shared within the company, and communicated beyond its secure confines. The challenges posed by contemporary data security needs are considerable, yet they are crucial for operational integrity. Organizations can achieve compliance with GDPR and other vital regulations through the use of robust signature generation and reliable authentication processes, ensuring the safeguarding of their data. Furthermore, the E-Business Server enhances efficiency by optimizing file sizes, reducing bandwidth consumption, speeding up processing times, and saving disk space, which contributes to effective resource management. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it is imperative for organizations to focus on solutions that not only bolster security but also refine operations to foster greater productivity and efficiency in their workflows. Investing in such comprehensive systems paves the way for a more resilient and adaptive business environment.

The z/OS tape encryption solution has been designed to be both cutting-edge and flexible, allowing for seamless integration while offering a comprehensive method for safeguarding data. It guarantees that your confidential information is protected from unauthorized access, even in cases where physical tapes may be at risk. By implementing Tape Encryption, organizations can efficiently handle the entire lifecycle of encryption keys without incurring the expenses and complications associated with traditional hardware solutions. This mainframe approach enables businesses to reduce the potential risks of facing fines, costly remediation efforts, and damaging media coverage that might occur due to data breaches. Moreover, it effectively fits within your broader security strategy while ensuring cost-effectiveness. Protecting against data breaches not only secures your valuable assets but also helps maintain your brand's integrity in the competitive marketplace. Additionally, the solution incorporates an automated key management system that enhances performance and reduces processor strain by utilizing other technologies from Broadcom. This ultimately fortifies defenses against data loss and significantly boosts your organization's ability to withstand financial challenges. In a world where data security is paramount, such a robust solution is essential for future-proofing your operations.

Enhancing the specific organizational requirements and functionalities of session management within a company is crucial. The TPX Session Management for z/OS effectively tackles the issue of repetitive logins and logouts across various applications associated with a VTAM network by permitting secure access to all applications from a single, cohesive menu. This innovative system not only provides authenticated access to dynamically generated application menus but also caters to diverse departmental needs through the option for personalized user customization. Moreover, it enhances both performance and user experience by implementing data compression, simplifying administration, and establishing a centralized control point that streamlines communication between different instances. By leveraging Broadcom's training, certifications, and resources, you can elevate your organization and advance your career, thereby unlocking the ability to create seamless integrations that optimize the capabilities of mainframe services. Through these educational offerings, you can develop a deep understanding of system management principles and significantly boost operational efficiency, ultimately leading to a more productive and agile work environment.

Achieve reliable and scalable security while maintaining effective administration for your mainframe systems. The success of contemporary businesses relies heavily on a solid, comprehensive, and efficient security infrastructure. Organizations must have unrestricted access to their mainframe databases while addressing security concerns without worry. Additionally, customers tend to trust only those companies that prioritize the protection of their sensitive information. ACF2 provides extensive security features for your vital informational assets, allowing your organization to fully utilize the mainframe’s reliability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, ACF2 facilitates advanced multi-factor authentication for z/OS and enables security externalization for IBM Db2 without requiring an exit. With integrated identity and access management, as well as logging and audit reporting capabilities, it presents a complete cybersecurity solution for your essential information resources. This empowers your enterprise to not only tap into the full advantages of the mainframe but also to enhance its flexibility and economic efficiency in the rapidly evolving business landscape. In conclusion, prioritizing such security measures is essential for maintaining trust and operational excellence in today's competitive market.

Modern business strategies rely on a reliable, comprehensive, and cost-effective security system. Organizations need seamless access to their mainframe databases while addressing security concerns effectively. Consumers are more likely to interact with companies that actively protect their personal information. Top Secret provides advanced safeguarding for your crucial information assets, enabling your organization to fully harness the mainframe's dependability, scalability, and efficiency. With ready-to-use identity and access management solutions, along with thorough logging and audit reporting capabilities, businesses can enhance their cybersecurity posture. By implementing strong cybersecurity protocols, your organization can maximize the advantages of the mainframe's reliability, scalability, and affordability. Moreover, a flexible configuration system guarantees that your security policies are continuously monitored and tailored to accommodate various organizational structures, fostering security and adaptability. This combined strategy not only builds trust with customers but also strengthens the overall robustness of your business operations, ensuring a competitive edge in the market.

IBM RACF for z/OS delivers a powerful system for protecting mainframe assets by employing resource managers that assist in making informed access control choices. By ensuring that access is limited to authorized personnel, it serves a key function in safeguarding sensitive information. Users can be verified through various methods such as passwords, password phrases, digital certificates, Kerberos tickets, or PassTickets. To effectively oversee and regulate access to vital z/OS data, the deployment of specialized tools is necessary. The RACF database contains comprehensive data regarding users, resources, and their access permissions, which is fundamental for enforcing security measures. This database is crucial for identifying who is permitted to access secured resources according to predefined security policies. Furthermore, RACF includes extensive logging and reporting features that monitor user access attempts, whether they are successful or not, thereby aiding in the identification of potential security risks or weaknesses. This capability significantly improves your capacity to track and address security issues. Additionally, the RRSF allows you to perform most RACF commands on a node while logged in with a different user ID, providing enhanced flexibility in security management. This degree of oversight is essential for sustaining a secure mainframe environment, ultimately ensuring the integrity of critical data. In a world where cybersecurity threats are ever-evolving, having such robust measures in place is more important than ever.

Mainframe systems are essential for ensuring dependable digital interactions for some of the world's largest corporations and organizations. While these systems are crucial, the passwords protecting vital users, data, and applications often present a weak link that cybercriminals can exploit, as their reliability is heavily reliant on user knowledge and compliance with security measures. Hackers have effectively utilized methods such as social engineering and phishing to trick employees, partners, and general users into granting unauthorized access to even the most secure platforms. By implementing IBM Z MFA, organizations can greatly bolster the security of their vital systems through sophisticated authentication features and a comprehensive, user-centric approach that minimizes the chances of password-related breaches and system attacks. Moreover, our design team comprises actual users of IBM Z MFA, allowing us to infuse their critical insights and experiences from real-world mainframe security scenarios into each iteration we roll out. This ongoing exchange of feedback guarantees that our offerings stay pertinent and impactful against the constantly changing threats in the realm of cybersecurity. Ultimately, maintaining a strong security posture is not just about technology but also about cultivating a culture of security awareness among all users.

The IBM z/OS Authorized Code Scanner (zACS) is a premium feature introduced in z/OS version 2 release 4 and beyond, designed to help clients bolster the security architecture of their z/OS systems. This scanner proficiently detects potential vulnerabilities within the Authorized Program Facility (APF) code libraries. It provides both fundamental and sophisticated testing capabilities for Program Controls (PCs) and Supervisor Calls (SVCs). Additionally, the tool supports AC(1) parameter testing in both batch and UNIX System Services (USS) settings. With its intuitive graphical interface via the z/OS Management Facility (z/OSMF), it simplifies the diagnostic procedures required for any necessary fixes. The scanner functions in a non-disruptive way by seamlessly integrating with z/OS recovery processes. Tailored for use in production environments, it can automatically gather dumps to assist with problem analysis, which contributes to a thorough approach to security governance. Consequently, zACS stands out as an essential tool for ensuring strong security protocols are upheld in intricate computing landscapes. Its implementation can significantly enhance the overall security posture of organizations utilizing z/OS systems.

The Crypto Analytics Tool (CAT) plays a crucial role in collecting essential security data and contributes to the creation of a comprehensive inventory of cryptographic assets. Its user-friendly graphical interface streamlines the evaluation of security information, delivering a holistic view of all z/OS cryptographic-consuming LPARs through a unified monitoring platform. By providing an in-depth look at the system's cryptographic security, CAT supports ongoing oversight to verify that keys and cryptographic functions are accurately configured and secure, in line with well-established best practices. This tool is instrumental in enforcing compliance and policy requirements, enabling administrators to detect vulnerabilities and prioritize necessary improvements. It provides a thorough analysis of the cryptographic security landscape, encompassing HSM, ICSF, and RACF components. By identifying weak keys and algorithms, CAT plays a vital role in upholding strong security measures. Moreover, it facilitates comparisons between the current cryptographic state and earlier snapshots, a critical process for identifying errors, troubleshooting issues, and validating change control procedures, thereby fostering a more secure cryptographic environment. In addition, CAT's capabilities not only fortify security but also enhance overall operational efficiency within the organization, ultimately contributing to a more resilient infrastructure. With its extensive features, it becomes an indispensable asset for any organization aiming to improve its cryptographic security posture.

The Unified Key Orchestrator for IBM z/OS, formerly referred to as IBM Enterprise Key Management Foundation-Web Edition, offers a robust key management solution that effectively manages and secures the lifecycle of encryption keys across an organization, accommodating both on-premises infrastructures and multiple cloud environments, including IBM Cloud, AWS KMS, Azure Key Vault, and Google Cloud. Known as UKO for z/OS, this tool streamlines the management and transfer of key management operations between local and cloud settings, which not only enhances compliance but also strengthens security protocols. By employing UKO for z/OS, organizations can manage their encryption keys from a unified, dependable interface, thus optimizing operational efficiency. As a software deployment specifically designed for z/OS, UKO for z/OS ensures smooth key orchestration across all IBM z/OS systems and various public cloud platforms. Furthermore, it offers support for key management related to zKey on Linux® on IBM Z and integrates with the IBM Security Guardium key lifecycle manager, providing holistic coverage across diverse environments. This comprehensive strategy for key management ultimately fortifies your enterprise's security framework while alleviating the complexities tied to encryption key management. Overall, the adoption of UKO for z/OS represents a significant advancement in the way organizations can secure their sensitive data.

Every product in the VitalSigns range is engineered to help you save money. Each item ensures simple installation, acts as an affordable alternative to costly legacy systems, minimizes the load on the mainframe, and provides constant support from our outstanding team. VitalSigns serves as an all-encompassing toolkit for… Event Log Management and Compliance – VitalSigns SIEM Agent for z/OS FTP Monitoring – VitalSigns for FTP Comprehensive FTP Security – The VFTP/SSH Collaboration IP Monitoring – VitalSigns for IP Network Automation – VitalSigns for Network Automation and Control SNA and IP Monitoring – VitalSigns for VTAM By utilizing these solutions, users can boost their operational efficiency while achieving substantial reductions in costs, ultimately leading to better resource management and a more streamlined workflow.