sysfsselinuxenforce

sysfsselinuxenforce is a kernel parameter that controls the enforcement mode of SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux). SELinux is a security mechanism built into the Linux kernel that provides a flexible and robust access control system. The sysfsselinuxenforce parameter can be accessed and modified through the sysfs filesystem, typically located at /sys/fs/selinux/enforce.

There are three primary modes for SELinux enforcement: enforcing, permissive, and disabled. When set to enforcing, SELinux actively prevents any access that violates its defined security policies. If an action is deemed a violation, it is denied, and an audit log entry is created. In permissive mode, SELinux does not prevent policy violations but logs them. This mode is useful for troubleshooting and developing SELinux policies, as it allows administrators to identify potential issues without disrupting system operation. When disabled, SELinux enforcement is turned off entirely, and no security checks are performed.

The value of sysfsselinuxenforce is typically represented as an integer: 0 for permissive, 1 for enforcing, and potentially other values for disabled depending on the kernel version and configuration. Changes made to this parameter through sysfs are usually temporary and will be reset upon system reboot unless they are also configured in persistent system settings, such as GRUB or SELinux configuration files. Understanding and correctly configuring sysfsselinuxenforce is crucial for maintaining the security posture of a Linux system equipped with SELinux.