PWCHECK

The PWCHECK architecture is centered around three main components: the Password Analyzer, the Reporting Engine, and the Configuration Manager. The Password Analyzer is responsible for scanning the RACF database, reading password data, and applying various password-cracking techniques, such as dictionary attacks and brute-force simulations. The Reporting Engine processes the results from the Password Analyzer and generates detailed reports.

These reports include information on identified vulnerabilities, such as weak passwords, common patterns, and potential security risks. , specific user IDs, groups, or RACF classes), the types of checks to perform, and the reporting options. The tool is executed through the z/OS console or batch jobs using a command-line interface (CLI).

The CLI commands allow administrators to specify various parameters, such as the RACF class to analyze and the output format for the reports. PWCHECK integrates with the z/OS security model, using RACF for user management and access control. Access to PWCHECK commands and data is governed by the permissions assigned to user IDs and groups.

The tool uses the RACF database as its primary data source, reading password information directly from the RACF data sets. PWCHECK provides detailed audit logging of all operations, including command executions, configuration changes, and identified password vulnerabilities. The tool generates reports summarizing the findings, which can be used for monitoring and analysis.

These logs and reports are crucial for tracking password security and identifying potential issues.