Security concerns when you use the TS4500 management GUI

The TS4500 tape library has remote support security through a system console when you use the management GUI.

The management GUI does not allow any access to customer data, and it does not allow FTP or TELNET type operations. It provides those functions that are allowed coded in the library firmware. The only files that it can offload are library logs, drive logs, and certain usage and error statistics files. It cannot be used to read or write a customer cartridge or otherwise access customer data.

You can use the management GUI to set up an administrator password. No-one without the password can use the management GUI to do anything to the library. The management GUI also provides several levels of access through various preset roles.

The following list presents potential security concerns when you are using the management GUI:
  • A Management GUI user might move a cartridge from one location to another within the library. This change in position might confuse a host application, or make the cartridge unavailable by moving it to a different partition.
  • A user might reconfigure the library and possibly cause problems at the hosts because of changes in partitioning or device IDs.
  • A remote user might update the library or drive firmware. However, since the library and drives ignore any firmware they do not recognize, the only exposure is to loading older firmware.
These security concerns can be addressed by using the password, user role, and authentication features that are provided by the management GUI, and also by enabling SNMP audit logging. When SNMP audit logging is enabled, the library sends notifications when certain events occur in the library.