Security Patrol discusses security topics and implementation tips and answers your security questions. I welcome questions, recommendations, and suggestions for security topics you would like discussed in detail. You can submit your correspondence through MC-BBS at 619-931-9909; by E-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or by fax at 520-578-7786. I cannot answer every question, but I'll try to publish those questions of a general nature. Please include your phone number.

-Wayne O. Evans, chief of security

Q: If I create a new object, the system will automatically give me *ALL access to the new object. When I view the authority for the object, I can see my user profile name with *ALL authority. Why does the system add this additional line? Since I am the owner, won't I always have *ALL access to this object? (This presumes the OWNER attribute of my user profile is set to *USRPRF.)

Is there any security difference after running the Revoke Object Authority (RVKOBJAUT) command to remove *ALL authority to the object for my user profile? This will result in removing the additional line when displaying the authority for the object.

A: The system gives the owner of an object *ALL authority to the object, but that authority can be changed. Because the authority can be changed, OS/400 displays the owner's authority for the object. The owner of an object can always grant and revoke access to the object even when the owner is not authorized to the object. For example, when I am the owner, I sometimes revoke my *OBJEXIST authority to the object to prevent accidental deletion of the object. As the owner, I can always grant access to the object for my user profile if I need to delete the object, but I am prevented from accidentally deleting the object (presuming my user profile does not have *ALLOBJ authority).

If you revoke *ALL authority from your user profile as indicated by your second question, you will not be able to access the object, even though you own the object. However, you would still be able to grant yourself authority to the object again.

Q:When I display a program using the Display Program (DSPPGM) command, the program has a Use Adopted Authority attribute of *YES. Does this mean that the program will adopt the owner's authority?

A: The *YES for Use Adopted Authority does not indicate that a program adopts its owner's authority. This attribute indicates that the program will use any adopted authority if it is called by another program that adopts. A separate indication, User Profile *OWNER, indicates that the program adopts the owner's authority. (For more information, see "The Benefits and Dangers of Adopted Authority," MC, January 1996.)