NSIT: University of Chicago Mainframe - Enabling SSL Encryption for Hummingbird

University of Chicago Mainframe

Enabling SSL Encryption for tn3270 Sessions in Hummingbird HostExplorer

To prevent unauthorized network intruders from viewing your ACF2 password and logonid, we require the use of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption with all mainframe terminal sessions. The University has a site license for the Hummingbird HostExplorer tn3270 client. At the time this was written, Hummingbird HostExplorer Version 8 was in use. What follows are step-by-step instructions for insuring that your Hummingbird HostExplorer Version 8 client is configured to use SSL

If you have not done so already, download the current version of Hummingbird HostExplorer client from NSIT's Site Licensing web site and install it. The software and installation instructions may be found at http://nsit.uchicago.edu/licensing/download/tn3270/.

By default, the Hummingbird installation creates an extension to Windows Explorer. This extension is called Hummingbird Neighborhood and may be found either on your desktop or through Windows Explorer. Open Hummingbird Neighborhood.

Hummingbird Neighborhood contains profiles that tell HostExplorer how to connect to the mainframe system(s) that you use. If you are already a Hummingbird user, then you probably have profiles stored in there with names like UCHIMVS1 and UCHIBETA. If not, then you can copy and paste the "Default 3270" profile to create these. Use the right mouse button to open the pop-up menus and follow the actions illustrated below.
1. Copy the Default 3270 profile (Click to enlarge image)
2. Paste the copy into Hummingbird Neighborhood
3. Rename "Copy of Default 3270"
4. Call it UCHIMVS1, for example
5. e. Now you have a profile named UCHIMVS1
Modify the connection entry in the profile you just created, or an existing profile

Now you need to customize this profile so that it can connect to our UCHIMVS1 system.
1. Right click on the UCHIMVS1 profile and select Properties from the menu.
2. The first settings to customize are to tell Hummingbird the name of the system to which you will be connecting. Select TN3720 under the Connection category on the left hand. Then click on the Add New Host button under the Hosts: box (where the cursor is indicated in the picture below).
3. Now enter the network name of the host you will be using, UCHIMVS1 in this example, and set the TCP port to 992 as shown below.
4. When you are done the profile screen should look like the following:
Enable SSL security
1. Expand the Security category on the left of the profile window and select the General section beneath Security. Change the Security option to SSL/TLS as illustrated below. Click OK to save your changes.
2. You are now done. Your Hummingbird Neighborhood should look similar to the one below. Just double click on the UCHIMVS1 profile to connect to MVS.