[Datamart-News] FW: Important message: To help identify mainframe users and keep them securely connected after December 2018

[Datamart Support * DAS]

This message is being forwarded on behalf of OSPS, SFMS & PPDB.

Aaron Wallace
Sr. Datamart Business Analyst


Dear Agency Business Contacts-

You've granted your people security to the mainframe accounting and payroll systems needed for their various roles.

Now, here's a heads-up to help ensure each of their personal computers stay connected to the mainframe.

By the end of December 2018, secure connection protocols must meet a new threshold of Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 1.2.

While State Data Center staff are reaching out to IT staff at the various agencies, it might behoove all involved for agency business staff and IT staff to be on the same page to help identify individuals who need to connect to the mainframe and to determine if each of their machines appear good to go.

There appear to be two basic factors enabling a personal computer's TLS v. 1.2 connection to the mainframe:


1.     Windows version 7 or later (For version 7 Admins must add a TLS v. 1.2 registry key, version 8 and above currently support TLS v. 1.2 by default).

2.     Terminal emulation software must have been updated recently enough (generally during the last few years) so the TLS v. 1.2 connection option is available in the session configurations.

Recent versions of Zephyr Passport, Nexus Terminal, Attachmate Extra, Hummingbird Host Explorer and even the Freebie wc3270 emulation software, connect with TLS v. 1.2 so it looks promising many might already be good to go and for the rest of us, options are available. (Please note: Other than the free wc3270, emulator costs can range from $50-300 per person.)

Thank you in advance for touching base with your IT staff to help ensure users can avoid a disruption in connectivity.

Please let me know if you might have questions or if/how I might be of assistance in any way.

-Michael

Michael Lacy, CPA
Project Coordinator
DAS | Enterprise Goods and Services | Financial Business Systems
503-373-0264 | https://oregon.gov/DAS<https://dasapp.oregon.gov/statephonebook/display.asp?agency=10700&division=00160&section=00013> |Data Class:  Level 2 - Limited
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