selinux_status_open(3) SELinux API documentation selinux_status_open(3)
NAME
selinux_status_open, selinux_status_close, selinux_status_updated,
selinux_status_getenforce, selinux_status_policyload and selinux_sta-
tus_deny_unknown - reference the SELinux kernel status without invoca-
tion of system calls
SYNOPSIS
#include <selinux/avc.h>
int selinux_status_open(int fallback);
void selinux_status_close(void);
int selinux_status_updated(void);
int selinux_status_getenforce(void);
int selinux_status_policyload(void);
int selinux_status_deny_unknown(void);
DESCRIPTION
Linux 2.6.37 or later provides a SELinux kernel status page; being
mostly placed on /sys/fs/selinux/status entry. It enables userspace ap-
plications to mmap this page with read-only mode, then it informs some
status without system call invocations.
In some cases that a userspace application tries to apply heavy fre-
quent access control; such as row-level security in databases, it will
face unignorable cost to communicate with kernel space to check invali-
dation of userspace avc.
These functions provides applications a way to know some kernel events
without system-call invocation or worker thread for monitoring.
selinux_status_open() tries to open(2) /sys/fs/selinux/status and
mmap(2) it in read-only mode. The file-descriptor and pointer to the
page shall be stored internally; Don't touch them directly. Set 1 on
the fallback argument to handle a case of older kernels without kernel
status page support. In this case, this function tries to open a
netlink socket using avc_netlink_open(3) and overwrite corresponding
callbacks (setenforce and policyload). Thus, we need to pay attention
to the interaction with these interfaces, when fallback mode is en-
abled.
selinux_status_close() unmap the kernel status page and close its file
descriptor, or close the netlink socket if fallbacked.
selinux_status_updated() processes status update events. There are two
kinds of status updates. setenforce events will change the effective
enforcing state used within the AVC, and policyload events will result
in a cache flush.
This function returns 0 if there have been no updates since the last
call, 1 if there have been updates since the last call, or -1 on error.
selinux_status_getenforce() returns 0 if SELinux is running in permis-
sive mode, 1 if enforcing mode, or -1 on error. Same as secu-
rity_getenforce(3) except with or without system call invocation.
selinux_status_policyload() returns times of policy reloaded on the
running system, or -1 on error. Note that it is not a reliable value
on fallback-mode until it receive the first event message via netlink
socket. Thus, don't use this value to know actual times of policy
reloaded.
selinux_status_deny_unknown() returns 0 if SELinux treats policy
queries on undefined object classes or permissions as being allowed, 1
if such queries are denied, or -1 on error.
Also note that these interfaces are not thread-safe, so you have to
protect them from concurrent calls using exclusive locks when multiple
threads are performing.
RETURN VALUE
selinux_status_open() returns 0 or 1 on success. 1 means we are ready
to use these interfaces, but netlink socket was opened as fallback in-
stead of the kernel status page. On error, -1 shall be returned.
Any other functions with a return value shall return its characteristic
value as described above, or -1 on errors.
SEE ALSO
mmap(2), avc_netlink_open(3), security_getenforce(3),
security_deny_unknown(3)
kaigai@ak.jp.nec.com 22 January 2011 selinux_status_open(3)
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