Control system, and program product employing an embedded mechanism for testing a system's fault-handling capability

A technique for controlling a system is provided in which a control-data table is employed for facilitating operation of the system, and an inject-fault-data table is selectively used during testing of the system. Pursuant to the technique, a security mechanism is provided to restrict the system's utilization of the inject-fault-data table. A security check by the security mechanism is to be satisfied for the system to access the inject-fault-data table. In an enhanced embodiment, the system is tested by substituting an inject-fault-data entry of the inject-fault-data table for a control-data entry of the control-data table as an input to the system. The testing verifies the response of the system to an emulated fault, which results from employing at least one inject-fault-data entry during testing of the system.