Source: Blog RSS Feed
Author: Gilad David Maayan
URL: https://www.tripwire.com/state-of-security/critical-security-risks-facing-cobol-mainframes
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ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY: COBOL remains vital in global enterprise systems yet faces significant security risks requiring proactive measures and modern security practices.
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MAIN POINTS:
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COBOL is deeply embedded in critical global systems like banking, insurance, and government.
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Legacy COBOL systems face growing cybersecurity threats due to outdated security configurations.
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COBOL’s stability and batch processing efficiency sustain its widespread use in mainframe environments.
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Industries relying on COBOL include finance, insurance, government, retail, manufacturing, and healthcare.
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Dynamic SQL in COBOL applications can lead to SQL injection attacks if input isn’t sanitized.
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Legacy communication protocols (FTP, TN3270) transmit sensitive data without encryption, increasing vulnerability.
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Weak authentication and outdated access control methods expose COBOL systems to unauthorized access risks.
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Privilege escalation vulnerabilities arise from poor application logic, misconfigurations, or insecure scripts.
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COBOL applications often lack adequate input validation and error handling, risking exploitation.
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Best practices include regular code reviews, pentesting, proactive patching, developer training, and compliance adherence.
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TAKEAWAYS:
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Regularly review and update legacy COBOL code to address potential vulnerabilities.
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Employ comprehensive mainframe penetration testing to identify hidden security weaknesses.
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Implement proactive patch management strategies to protect against known threats.
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Provide ongoing developer training on secure coding practices specific to COBOL environments.
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Ensure strict adherence to industry compliance standards for maintaining secure COBOL-based systems.