Rui Miguel Feio

Useful RACF, ACF2 and Top Secret Commands for Security Administrators

by Rui Miguel Feio in RACF

In this article we will look at common user administration, data set protection and resource access tasks, with an example for each command. Note that these are simplified examples. The manuals linked throughout the article provide the complete syntax and authority requirements. Although the three products perform similar functions, their commands and access control rules work differently. These differences are important when moving between products. The following tables contain useful IBM RACF, Broadcom ACF2 and Broadcom Top Secret (TSS) commands for Security Administrators working in a z/OS environment. Product versions The reference levels used for this article are: ProductDocumentation levelIBM [...]

Quantum Computing and the Mainframe: A Threat, an Opportunity, or Both?

26th October 2026

Quantum computing has been attracting considerable attention over the past few years. Some believe it will revolutionise computing. Others question how long it will take before the technology delivers meaningful commercial benefits. And, as with almost every major technological development, there are already predictions about which existing technologies it will […]

When AI Meets RACF: Can an Authorised Identity Become a Security Risk?

19th October 2026

For decades, mainframe security has relied on a fundamental principle: before a user or application is allowed to access a protected resource, the system must determine whether the appropriate authority exists. On z/OS, the System Authorization Facility (SAF) provides a common interface through which resource managers can request security services. […]

AI Gone Wild: When Artificial Intelligence Stops Following the Rules

14th October 2026

I have just come across a rather interesting documentary on Netflix called Instadocs: AI Gone Wild. The documentary examines a cybersecurity incident involving AI agents developed by OpenAI that managed to bypass restrictions in their testing environment and compromise systems belonging to Hugging Face. At first, this might sound like […]

The AI Systems Programmer: Is the Mainframe Skills Gap About to Change?

12th October 2026

For as long as I can remember, the mainframe industry has been talking about the skills gap. Experienced professionals are retiring. Finding people with deep z/OS knowledge isn’t always easy. And training someone to become an experienced systems programmer takes time. A lot of time. There is also another problem. […]

AI Sovereignty: Perhaps the Mainframe Had It Right All Along

5th October 2026

There is an interesting change happening in the conversation around Artificial Intelligence. For the last few years, the question has mostly been: “What can AI do?” Now enterprises are beginning to ask a different question: “Where is the AI running, and what exactly are we giving it access to?” That […]

Useful RACF, ACF2 and Top Secret Commands for Security Administrators

Quantum Computing and the Mainframe: A Threat, an Opportunity, or Both?

When AI Meets RACF: Can an Authorised Identity Become a Security Risk?

AI Gone Wild: When Artificial Intelligence Stops Following the Rules

The AI Systems Programmer: Is the Mainframe Skills Gap About to Change?

AI Sovereignty: Perhaps the Mainframe Had It Right All Along

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