Telnet security risk

["Steve Bireley" <sbireley@xxxxxxxxx>]

If you are using TN5250E with Client Access, Renex BlueZone or another
TN5250E compliant emulator, you can encrypt the password and bypass the
signon screen.  Set QRMTSGN to *Verify on the AS/400 and enter your user ID
and password into the signon bypass dialog in the emulator.  You may have
noticed the IBMRSEED in a trace.  This is a seed value used to setup an
encrypted session to pass the user ID and password from the client to the
server. The user bypasses the signon screen and goes to their configured
menu or the main menu.

The one drawback to this method is the use can sign out and get back to the
sign on screen.  If they enter their login information here, it will be in
the clear.  You can use an exit to prevent users from getting to this screen
and force them to use the encrypted substitute password method.

The best method is to use Secure Port SSL for telnet or FTP.  The SSL
connection is setup prior to any telnet or FTP data being passed between the
client and the user, ensuring that user IDs and passwords are protected.

Steve Bireley
VP Engineering
Renex Corporation
www.renex.com
BlueZone Emulators
BlueZone Free FTP
BlueZone Secure FTP
Secure Web-to-Host

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