*SERVICE special authority

Service (*SERVICE) special authority allows the user to start system service tools using the STRSST command. This special authority allows the user to debug a program with only *USE authority to the program and perform the display and alter service functions. It also allows the user to perform trace functions.

The dump function can be performed without *SERVICE authority.

Risks: A user with *SERVICE special authority can display and change confidential information using service functions. The user must have *ALLOBJ special authority to change the information using service functions.

To minimize the risk for trace commands, users can be given authorization to perform service tracing without the *SERVICE special authority. In this way, only specific users have the ability to perform a trace command, which can grant them access to sensitive data. The user must be authorized to the command and have either *SERVICE special authority, or be authorized to the Service Trace function of i5/OS through Application Administration in System i® Navigator. The Change Function Usage (CHGFCNUSG) command, with the function ID of QIBM_SERVICE_TRACE, can also be used to change the list of users that are allowed to perform trace operations.

The commands to which access can be granted in this way include:
STRCMNTRC Start Communications Trace
ENDCMNTRC End Communications Trace
PRTCMNTRC Print Communications Trace
DLTCMNTRC Delete Communications Trace
CHKCMNTRC Check Communications Trace
TRCCNN Trace Connection (see Granting access to traces)
TRCINT Trace Internal
STRTRC Start Job Trace
ENDTRC End Job Trace
PRTTRC Print Job Trace
DLTTRC Delete Job Trace
TRCTCPAPP Trace TCP/IP Application
WRKTRC Work with Traces
Note: You need *ALLOBJ to change data using service functions.