Dedicated public terminals are computer terminals, available in public places, whose function is to provide access to a set of information utilities. This paper examines dedicated public terminals which access applications running under VM/CMS on IBM mainframes. On-line library catalog terminals arc an example of such terminals. Security problems associated with this class of terminals are summarized. Various attacks are detailed, including novel attacks that arise from the use of personal computers as dedicated public terminals. Alternatives for improving the security of these terminals are examined. The author recommends that these terminals he attached to mainframe applications only over dialed lines. This isolates the user from the VM session console, which eliminates most of the security problems. If the dialed line is dedicated, and the application account is autologged, the: application is automatically available whenever the host computer is functional.
By: Steve R. White
Published in: RC12403 in 1986
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