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authorKees Cook <keescook@chromium.org>2017-05-13 04:51:50 -0700
committerJonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>2017-05-18 10:33:42 -0600
commitb68101a1e8f0263dbc7b8375d2a7c57c6216fb76 (patch)
tree2877dc833df3d290cbdfdbd64ac193267fdb7e16 /Documentation/security/keys
parenta5606ced286197cc280dbf3b880c6167bba9462d (diff)
doc: ReSTify keys.txt
This creates a new section in the security development index for kernel keys, and adjusts for ReST markup. Cc: David Howells <dhowells@redhat.com> Signed-off-by: Kees Cook <keescook@chromium.org> Signed-off-by: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
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+============================
+Kernel Key Retention Service
+============================
+
+This service allows cryptographic keys, authentication tokens, cross-domain
+user mappings, and similar to be cached in the kernel for the use of
+filesystems and other kernel services.
+
+Keyrings are permitted; these are a special type of key that can hold links to
+other keys. Processes each have three standard keyring subscriptions that a
+kernel service can search for relevant keys.
+
+The key service can be configured on by enabling:
+
+ "Security options"/"Enable access key retention support" (CONFIG_KEYS)
+
+This document has the following sections:
+
+ - Key overview
+ - Key service overview
+ - Key access permissions
+ - SELinux support
+ - New procfs files
+ - Userspace system call interface
+ - Kernel services
+ - Notes on accessing payload contents
+ - Defining a key type
+ - Request-key callback service
+ - Garbage collection
+
+
+Key Overview
+============
+
+In this context, keys represent units of cryptographic data, authentication
+tokens, keyrings, etc.. These are represented in the kernel by struct key.
+
+Each key has a number of attributes:
+
+ - A serial number.
+ - A type.
+ - A description (for matching a key in a search).
+ - Access control information.
+ - An expiry time.
+ - A payload.
+ - State.
+
+
+ * Each key is issued a serial number of type key_serial_t that is unique for
+ the lifetime of that key. All serial numbers are positive non-zero 32-bit
+ integers.
+
+ Userspace programs can use a key's serial numbers as a way to gain access
+ to it, subject to permission checking.
+
+ * Each key is of a defined "type". Types must be registered inside the
+ kernel by a kernel service (such as a filesystem) before keys of that type
+ can be added or used. Userspace programs cannot define new types directly.
+
+ Key types are represented in the kernel by struct key_type. This defines a
+ number of operations that can be performed on a key of that type.
+
+ Should a type be removed from the system, all the keys of that type will
+ be invalidated.
+
+ * Each key has a description. This should be a printable string. The key
+ type provides an operation to perform a match between the description on a
+ key and a criterion string.
+
+ * Each key has an owner user ID, a group ID and a permissions mask. These
+ are used to control what a process may do to a key from userspace, and
+ whether a kernel service will be able to find the key.
+
+ * Each key can be set to expire at a specific time by the key type's
+ instantiation function. Keys can also be immortal.
+
+ * Each key can have a payload. This is a quantity of data that represent the
+ actual "key". In the case of a keyring, this is a list of keys to which
+ the keyring links; in the case of a user-defined key, it's an arbitrary
+ blob of data.
+
+ Having a payload is not required; and the payload can, in fact, just be a
+ value stored in the struct key itself.
+
+ When a key is instantiated, the key type's instantiation function is
+ called with a blob of data, and that then creates the key's payload in
+ some way.
+
+ Similarly, when userspace wants to read back the contents of the key, if
+ permitted, another key type operation will be called to convert the key's
+ attached payload back into a blob of data.
+
+ * Each key can be in one of a number of basic states:
+
+ * Uninstantiated. The key exists, but does not have any data attached.
+ Keys being requested from userspace will be in this state.
+
+ * Instantiated. This is the normal state. The key is fully formed, and
+ has data attached.
+
+ * Negative. This is a relatively short-lived state. The key acts as a
+ note saying that a previous call out to userspace failed, and acts as
+ a throttle on key lookups. A negative key can be updated to a normal
+ state.
+
+ * Expired. Keys can have lifetimes set. If their lifetime is exceeded,
+ they traverse to this state. An expired key can be updated back to a
+ normal state.
+
+ * Revoked. A key is put in this state by userspace action. It can't be
+ found or operated upon (apart from by unlinking it).
+
+ * Dead. The key's type was unregistered, and so the key is now useless.
+
+Keys in the last three states are subject to garbage collection. See the
+section on "Garbage collection".
+
+
+Key Service Overview
+====================
+
+The key service provides a number of features besides keys:
+
+ * The key service defines three special key types:
+
+ (+) "keyring"
+
+ Keyrings are special keys that contain a list of other keys. Keyring
+ lists can be modified using various system calls. Keyrings should not
+ be given a payload when created.
+
+ (+) "user"
+
+ A key of this type has a description and a payload that are arbitrary
+ blobs of data. These can be created, updated and read by userspace,
+ and aren't intended for use by kernel services.
+
+ (+) "logon"
+
+ Like a "user" key, a "logon" key has a payload that is an arbitrary
+ blob of data. It is intended as a place to store secrets which are
+ accessible to the kernel but not to userspace programs.
+
+ The description can be arbitrary, but must be prefixed with a non-zero
+ length string that describes the key "subclass". The subclass is
+ separated from the rest of the description by a ':'. "logon" keys can
+ be created and updated from userspace, but the payload is only
+ readable from kernel space.
+
+ * Each process subscribes to three keyrings: a thread-specific keyring, a
+ process-specific keyring, and a session-specific keyring.
+
+ The thread-specific keyring is discarded from the child when any sort of
+ clone, fork, vfork or execve occurs. A new keyring is created only when
+ required.
+
+ The process-specific keyring is replaced with an empty one in the child on
+ clone, fork, vfork unless CLONE_THREAD is supplied, in which case it is
+ shared. execve also discards the process's process keyring and creates a
+ new one.
+
+ The session-specific keyring is persistent across clone, fork, vfork and
+ execve, even when the latter executes a set-UID or set-GID binary. A
+ process can, however, replace its current session keyring with a new one
+ by using PR_JOIN_SESSION_KEYRING. It is permitted to request an anonymous
+ new one, or to attempt to create or join one of a specific name.
+
+ The ownership of the thread keyring changes when the real UID and GID of
+ the thread changes.
+
+ * Each user ID resident in the system holds two special keyrings: a user
+ specific keyring and a default user session keyring. The default session
+ keyring is initialised with a link to the user-specific keyring.
+
+ When a process changes its real UID, if it used to have no session key, it
+ will be subscribed to the default session key for the new UID.
+
+ If a process attempts to access its session key when it doesn't have one,
+ it will be subscribed to the default for its current UID.
+
+ * Each user has two quotas against which the keys they own are tracked. One
+ limits the total number of keys and keyrings, the other limits the total
+ amount of description and payload space that can be consumed.
+
+ The user can view information on this and other statistics through procfs
+ files. The root user may also alter the quota limits through sysctl files
+ (see the section "New procfs files").
+
+ Process-specific and thread-specific keyrings are not counted towards a
+ user's quota.
+
+ If a system call that modifies a key or keyring in some way would put the
+ user over quota, the operation is refused and error EDQUOT is returned.
+
+ * There's a system call interface by which userspace programs can create and
+ manipulate keys and keyrings.
+
+ * There's a kernel interface by which services can register types and search
+ for keys.
+
+ * There's a way for the a search done from the kernel to call back to
+ userspace to request a key that can't be found in a process's keyrings.
+
+ * An optional filesystem is available through which the key database can be
+ viewed and manipulated.
+
+
+Key Access Permissions
+======================
+
+Keys have an owner user ID, a group access ID, and a permissions mask. The mask
+has up to eight bits each for possessor, user, group and other access. Only
+six of each set of eight bits are defined. These permissions granted are:
+
+ * View
+
+ This permits a key or keyring's attributes to be viewed - including key
+ type and description.
+
+ * Read
+
+ This permits a key's payload to be viewed or a keyring's list of linked
+ keys.
+
+ * Write
+
+ This permits a key's payload to be instantiated or updated, or it allows a
+ link to be added to or removed from a keyring.
+
+ * Search
+
+ This permits keyrings to be searched and keys to be found. Searches can
+ only recurse into nested keyrings that have search permission set.
+
+ * Link
+
+ This permits a key or keyring to be linked to. To create a link from a
+ keyring to a key, a process must have Write permission on the keyring and
+ Link permission on the key.
+
+ * Set Attribute
+
+ This permits a key's UID, GID and permissions mask to be changed.
+
+For changing the ownership, group ID or permissions mask, being the owner of
+the key or having the sysadmin capability is sufficient.
+
+
+SELinux Support
+===============
+
+The security class "key" has been added to SELinux so that mandatory access
+controls can be applied to keys created within various contexts. This support
+is preliminary, and is likely to change quite significantly in the near future.
+Currently, all of the basic permissions explained above are provided in SELinux
+as well; SELinux is simply invoked after all basic permission checks have been
+performed.
+
+The value of the file /proc/self/attr/keycreate influences the labeling of
+newly-created keys. If the contents of that file correspond to an SELinux
+security context, then the key will be assigned that context. Otherwise, the
+key will be assigned the current context of the task that invoked the key
+creation request. Tasks must be granted explicit permission to assign a
+particular context to newly-created keys, using the "create" permission in the
+key security class.
+
+The default keyrings associated with users will be labeled with the default
+context of the user if and only if the login programs have been instrumented to
+properly initialize keycreate during the login process. Otherwise, they will
+be labeled with the context of the login program itself.
+
+Note, however, that the default keyrings associated with the root user are
+labeled with the default kernel context, since they are created early in the
+boot process, before root has a chance to log in.
+
+The keyrings associated with new threads are each labeled with the context of
+their associated thread, and both session and process keyrings are handled
+similarly.
+
+
+New ProcFS Files
+================
+
+Two files have been added to procfs by which an administrator can find out
+about the status of the key service:
+
+ * /proc/keys
+
+ This lists the keys that are currently viewable by the task reading the
+ file, giving information about their type, description and permissions.
+ It is not possible to view the payload of the key this way, though some
+ information about it may be given.
+
+ The only keys included in the list are those that grant View permission to
+ the reading process whether or not it possesses them. Note that LSM
+ security checks are still performed, and may further filter out keys that
+ the current process is not authorised to view.
+
+ The contents of the file look like this::
+
+ SERIAL FLAGS USAGE EXPY PERM UID GID TYPE DESCRIPTION: SUMMARY
+ 00000001 I----- 39 perm 1f3f0000 0 0 keyring _uid_ses.0: 1/4
+ 00000002 I----- 2 perm 1f3f0000 0 0 keyring _uid.0: empty
+ 00000007 I----- 1 perm 1f3f0000 0 0 keyring _pid.1: empty
+ 0000018d I----- 1 perm 1f3f0000 0 0 keyring _pid.412: empty
+ 000004d2 I--Q-- 1 perm 1f3f0000 32 -1 keyring _uid.32: 1/4
+ 000004d3 I--Q-- 3 perm 1f3f0000 32 -1 keyring _uid_ses.32: empty
+ 00000892 I--QU- 1 perm 1f000000 0 0 user metal:copper: 0
+ 00000893 I--Q-N 1 35s 1f3f0000 0 0 user metal:silver: 0
+ 00000894 I--Q-- 1 10h 003f0000 0 0 user metal:gold: 0
+
+ The flags are::
+
+ I Instantiated
+ R Revoked
+ D Dead
+ Q Contributes to user's quota
+ U Under construction by callback to userspace
+ N Negative key
+
+
+ * /proc/key-users
+
+ This file lists the tracking data for each user that has at least one key
+ on the system. Such data includes quota information and statistics::
+
+ [root@andromeda root]# cat /proc/key-users
+ 0: 46 45/45 1/100 13/10000
+ 29: 2 2/2 2/100 40/10000
+ 32: 2 2/2 2/100 40/10000
+ 38: 2 2/2 2/100 40/10000
+
+ The format of each line is::
+
+ <UID>: User ID to which this applies
+ <usage> Structure refcount
+ <inst>/<keys> Total number of keys and number instantiated
+ <keys>/<max> Key count quota
+ <bytes>/<max> Key size quota
+
+
+Four new sysctl files have been added also for the purpose of controlling the
+quota limits on keys:
+
+ * /proc/sys/kernel/keys/root_maxkeys
+ /proc/sys/kernel/keys/root_maxbytes
+
+ These files hold the maximum number of keys that root may have and the
+ maximum total number of bytes of data that root may have stored in those
+ keys.
+
+ * /proc/sys/kernel/keys/maxkeys
+ /proc/sys/kernel/keys/maxbytes
+
+ These files hold the maximum number of keys that each non-root user may
+ have and the maximum total number of bytes of data that each of those
+ users may have stored in their keys.
+
+Root may alter these by writing each new limit as a decimal number string to
+the appropriate file.
+
+
+Userspace System Call Interface
+===============================
+
+Userspace can manipulate keys directly through three new syscalls: add_key,
+request_key and keyctl. The latter provides a number of functions for
+manipulating keys.
+
+When referring to a key directly, userspace programs should use the key's
+serial number (a positive 32-bit integer). However, there are some special
+values available for referring to special keys and keyrings that relate to the
+process making the call::
+
+ CONSTANT VALUE KEY REFERENCED
+ ============================== ====== ===========================
+ KEY_SPEC_THREAD_KEYRING -1 thread-specific keyring
+ KEY_SPEC_PROCESS_KEYRING -2 process-specific keyring
+ KEY_SPEC_SESSION_KEYRING -3 session-specific keyring
+ KEY_SPEC_USER_KEYRING -4 UID-specific keyring
+ KEY_SPEC_USER_SESSION_KEYRING -5 UID-session keyring
+ KEY_SPEC_GROUP_KEYRING -6 GID-specific keyring
+ KEY_SPEC_REQKEY_AUTH_KEY -7 assumed request_key()
+ authorisation key
+
+
+The main syscalls are:
+
+ * Create a new key of given type, description and payload and add it to the
+ nominated keyring::
+
+ key_serial_t add_key(const char *type, const char *desc,
+ const void *payload, size_t plen,
+ key_serial_t keyring);
+
+ If a key of the same type and description as that proposed already exists
+ in the keyring, this will try to update it with the given payload, or it
+ will return error EEXIST if that function is not supported by the key
+ type. The process must also have permission to write to the key to be able
+ to update it. The new key will have all user permissions granted and no
+ group or third party permissions.
+
+ Otherwise, this will attempt to create a new key of the specified type and
+ description, and to instantiate it with the supplied payload and attach it
+ to the keyring. In this case, an error will be generated if the process
+ does not have permission to write to the keyring.
+
+ If the key type supports it, if the description is NULL or an empty
+ string, the key type will try and generate a description from the content
+ of the payload.
+
+ The payload is optional, and the pointer can be NULL if not required by
+ the type. The payload is plen in size, and plen can be zero for an empty
+ payload.
+
+ A new keyring can be generated by setting type "keyring", the keyring name
+ as the description (or NULL) and setting the payload to NULL.
+
+ User defined keys can be created by specifying type "user". It is
+ recommended that a user defined key's description by prefixed with a type
+ ID and a colon, such as "krb5tgt:" for a Kerberos 5 ticket granting
+ ticket.
+
+ Any other type must have been registered with the kernel in advance by a
+ kernel service such as a filesystem.
+
+ The ID of the new or updated key is returned if successful.
+
+
+ * Search the process's keyrings for a key, potentially calling out to
+ userspace to create it::
+
+ key_serial_t request_key(const char *type, const char *description,
+ const char *callout_info,
+ key_serial_t dest_keyring);
+
+ This function searches all the process's keyrings in the order thread,
+ process, session for a matching key. This works very much like
+ KEYCTL_SEARCH, including the optional attachment of the discovered key to
+ a keyring.
+
+ If a key cannot be found, and if callout_info is not NULL, then
+ /sbin/request-key will be invoked in an attempt to obtain a key. The
+ callout_info string will be passed as an argument to the program.
+
+ See also Documentation/security/keys-request-key.txt.
+
+
+The keyctl syscall functions are:
+
+ * Map a special key ID to a real key ID for this process::
+
+ key_serial_t keyctl(KEYCTL_GET_KEYRING_ID, key_serial_t id,
+ int create);
+
+ The special key specified by "id" is looked up (with the key being created
+ if necessary) and the ID of the key or keyring thus found is returned if
+ it exists.
+
+ If the key does not yet exist, the key will be created if "create" is
+ non-zero; and the error ENOKEY will be returned if "create" is zero.
+
+
+ * Replace the session keyring this process subscribes to with a new one::
+
+ key_serial_t keyctl(KEYCTL_JOIN_SESSION_KEYRING, const char *name);
+
+ If name is NULL, an anonymous keyring is created attached to the process
+ as its session keyring, displacing the old session keyring.
+
+ If name is not NULL, if a keyring of that name exists, the process
+ attempts to attach it as the session keyring, returning an error if that
+ is not permitted; otherwise a new keyring of that name is created and
+ attached as the session keyring.
+
+ To attach to a named keyring, the keyring must have search permission for
+ the process's ownership.
+
+ The ID of the new session keyring is returned if successful.
+
+
+ * Update the specified key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_UPDATE, key_serial_t key, const void *payload,
+ size_t plen);
+
+ This will try to update the specified key with the given payload, or it
+ will return error EOPNOTSUPP if that function is not supported by the key
+ type. The process must also have permission to write to the key to be able
+ to update it.
+
+ The payload is of length plen, and may be absent or empty as for
+ add_key().
+
+
+ * Revoke a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_REVOKE, key_serial_t key);
+
+ This makes a key unavailable for further operations. Further attempts to
+ use the key will be met with error EKEYREVOKED, and the key will no longer
+ be findable.
+
+
+ * Change the ownership of a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_CHOWN, key_serial_t key, uid_t uid, gid_t gid);
+
+ This function permits a key's owner and group ID to be changed. Either one
+ of uid or gid can be set to -1 to suppress that change.
+
+ Only the superuser can change a key's owner to something other than the
+ key's current owner. Similarly, only the superuser can change a key's
+ group ID to something other than the calling process's group ID or one of
+ its group list members.
+
+
+ * Change the permissions mask on a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_SETPERM, key_serial_t key, key_perm_t perm);
+
+ This function permits the owner of a key or the superuser to change the
+ permissions mask on a key.
+
+ Only bits the available bits are permitted; if any other bits are set,
+ error EINVAL will be returned.
+
+
+ * Describe a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_DESCRIBE, key_serial_t key, char *buffer,
+ size_t buflen);
+
+ This function returns a summary of the key's attributes (but not its
+ payload data) as a string in the buffer provided.
+
+ Unless there's an error, it always returns the amount of data it could
+ produce, even if that's too big for the buffer, but it won't copy more
+ than requested to userspace. If the buffer pointer is NULL then no copy
+ will take place.
+
+ A process must have view permission on the key for this function to be
+ successful.
+
+ If successful, a string is placed in the buffer in the following format::
+
+ <type>;<uid>;<gid>;<perm>;<description>
+
+ Where type and description are strings, uid and gid are decimal, and perm
+ is hexadecimal. A NUL character is included at the end of the string if
+ the buffer is sufficiently big.
+
+ This can be parsed with::
+
+ sscanf(buffer, "%[^;];%d;%d;%o;%s", type, &uid, &gid, &mode, desc);
+
+
+ * Clear out a keyring::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_CLEAR, key_serial_t keyring);
+
+ This function clears the list of keys attached to a keyring. The calling
+ process must have write permission on the keyring, and it must be a
+ keyring (or else error ENOTDIR will result).
+
+ This function can also be used to clear special kernel keyrings if they
+ are appropriately marked if the user has CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability. The
+ DNS resolver cache keyring is an example of this.
+
+
+ * Link a key into a keyring::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_LINK, key_serial_t keyring, key_serial_t key);
+
+ This function creates a link from the keyring to the key. The process must
+ have write permission on the keyring and must have link permission on the
+ key.
+
+ Should the keyring not be a keyring, error ENOTDIR will result; and if the
+ keyring is full, error ENFILE will result.
+
+ The link procedure checks the nesting of the keyrings, returning ELOOP if
+ it appears too deep or EDEADLK if the link would introduce a cycle.
+
+ Any links within the keyring to keys that match the new key in terms of
+ type and description will be discarded from the keyring as the new one is
+ added.
+
+
+ * Unlink a key or keyring from another keyring::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_UNLINK, key_serial_t keyring, key_serial_t key);
+
+ This function looks through the keyring for the first link to the
+ specified key, and removes it if found. Subsequent links to that key are
+ ignored. The process must have write permission on the keyring.
+
+ If the keyring is not a keyring, error ENOTDIR will result; and if the key
+ is not present, error ENOENT will be the result.
+
+
+ * Search a keyring tree for a key::
+
+ key_serial_t keyctl(KEYCTL_SEARCH, key_serial_t keyring,
+ const char *type, const char *description,
+ key_serial_t dest_keyring);
+
+ This searches the keyring tree headed by the specified keyring until a key
+ is found that matches the type and description criteria. Each keyring is
+ checked for keys before recursion into its children occurs.
+
+ The process must have search permission on the top level keyring, or else
+ error EACCES will result. Only keyrings that the process has search
+ permission on will be recursed into, and only keys and keyrings for which
+ a process has search permission can be matched. If the specified keyring
+ is not a keyring, ENOTDIR will result.
+
+ If the search succeeds, the function will attempt to link the found key
+ into the destination keyring if one is supplied (non-zero ID). All the
+ constraints applicable to KEYCTL_LINK apply in this case too.
+
+ Error ENOKEY, EKEYREVOKED or EKEYEXPIRED will be returned if the search
+ fails. On success, the resulting key ID will be returned.
+
+
+ * Read the payload data from a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_READ, key_serial_t keyring, char *buffer,
+ size_t buflen);
+
+ This function attempts to read the payload data from the specified key
+ into the buffer. The process must have read permission on the key to
+ succeed.
+
+ The returned data will be processed for presentation by the key type. For
+ instance, a keyring will return an array of key_serial_t entries
+ representing the IDs of all the keys to which it is subscribed. The user
+ defined key type will return its data as is. If a key type does not
+ implement this function, error EOPNOTSUPP will result.
+
+ As much of the data as can be fitted into the buffer will be copied to
+ userspace if the buffer pointer is not NULL.
+
+ On a successful return, the function will always return the amount of data
+ available rather than the amount copied.
+
+
+ * Instantiate a partially constructed key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_INSTANTIATE, key_serial_t key,
+ const void *payload, size_t plen,
+ key_serial_t keyring);
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_INSTANTIATE_IOV, key_serial_t key,
+ const struct iovec *payload_iov, unsigned ioc,
+ key_serial_t keyring);
+
+ If the kernel calls back to userspace to complete the instantiation of a
+ key, userspace should use this call to supply data for the key before the
+ invoked process returns, or else the key will be marked negative
+ automatically.
+
+ The process must have write access on the key to be able to instantiate
+ it, and the key must be uninstantiated.
+
+ If a keyring is specified (non-zero), the key will also be linked into
+ that keyring, however all the constraints applying in KEYCTL_LINK apply in
+ this case too.
+
+ The payload and plen arguments describe the payload data as for add_key().
+
+ The payload_iov and ioc arguments describe the payload data in an iovec
+ array instead of a single buffer.
+
+
+ * Negatively instantiate a partially constructed key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_NEGATE, key_serial_t key,
+ unsigned timeout, key_serial_t keyring);
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_REJECT, key_serial_t key,
+ unsigned timeout, unsigned error, key_serial_t keyring);
+
+ If the kernel calls back to userspace to complete the instantiation of a
+ key, userspace should use this call mark the key as negative before the
+ invoked process returns if it is unable to fulfill the request.
+
+ The process must have write access on the key to be able to instantiate
+ it, and the key must be uninstantiated.
+
+ If a keyring is specified (non-zero), the key will also be linked into
+ that keyring, however all the constraints applying in KEYCTL_LINK apply in
+ this case too.
+
+ If the key is rejected, future searches for it will return the specified
+ error code until the rejected key expires. Negating the key is the same
+ as rejecting the key with ENOKEY as the error code.
+
+
+ * Set the default request-key destination keyring::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_SET_REQKEY_KEYRING, int reqkey_defl);
+
+ This sets the default keyring to which implicitly requested keys will be
+ attached for this thread. reqkey_defl should be one of these constants::
+
+ CONSTANT VALUE NEW DEFAULT KEYRING
+ ====================================== ====== =======================
+ KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_NO_CHANGE -1 No change
+ KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_DEFAULT 0 Default[1]
+ KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_THREAD_KEYRING 1 Thread keyring
+ KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_PROCESS_KEYRING 2 Process keyring
+ KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_SESSION_KEYRING 3 Session keyring
+ KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_USER_KEYRING 4 User keyring
+ KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_USER_SESSION_KEYRING 5 User session keyring
+ KEY_REQKEY_DEFL_GROUP_KEYRING 6 Group keyring
+
+ The old default will be returned if successful and error EINVAL will be
+ returned if reqkey_defl is not one of the above values.
+
+ The default keyring can be overridden by the keyring indicated to the
+ request_key() system call.
+
+ Note that this setting is inherited across fork/exec.
+
+ [1] The default is: the thread keyring if there is one, otherwise
+ the process keyring if there is one, otherwise the session keyring if
+ there is one, otherwise the user default session keyring.
+
+
+ * Set the timeout on a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_SET_TIMEOUT, key_serial_t key, unsigned timeout);
+
+ This sets or clears the timeout on a key. The timeout can be 0 to clear
+ the timeout or a number of seconds to set the expiry time that far into
+ the future.
+
+ The process must have attribute modification access on a key to set its
+ timeout. Timeouts may not be set with this function on negative, revoked
+ or expired keys.
+
+
+ * Assume the authority granted to instantiate a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_ASSUME_AUTHORITY, key_serial_t key);
+
+ This assumes or divests the authority required to instantiate the
+ specified key. Authority can only be assumed if the thread has the
+ authorisation key associated with the specified key in its keyrings
+ somewhere.
+
+ Once authority is assumed, searches for keys will also search the
+ requester's keyrings using the requester's security label, UID, GID and
+ groups.
+
+ If the requested authority is unavailable, error EPERM will be returned,
+ likewise if the authority has been revoked because the target key is
+ already instantiated.
+
+ If the specified key is 0, then any assumed authority will be divested.
+
+ The assumed authoritative key is inherited across fork and exec.
+
+
+ * Get the LSM security context attached to a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_GET_SECURITY, key_serial_t key, char *buffer,
+ size_t buflen)
+
+ This function returns a string that represents the LSM security context
+ attached to a key in the buffer provided.
+
+ Unless there's an error, it always returns the amount of data it could
+ produce, even if that's too big for the buffer, but it won't copy more
+ than requested to userspace. If the buffer pointer is NULL then no copy
+ will take place.
+
+ A NUL character is included at the end of the string if the buffer is
+ sufficiently big. This is included in the returned count. If no LSM is
+ in force then an empty string will be returned.
+
+ A process must have view permission on the key for this function to be
+ successful.
+
+
+ * Install the calling process's session keyring on its parent::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_SESSION_TO_PARENT);
+
+ This functions attempts to install the calling process's session keyring
+ on to the calling process's parent, replacing the parent's current session
+ keyring.
+
+ The calling process must have the same ownership as its parent, the
+ keyring must have the same ownership as the calling process, the calling
+ process must have LINK permission on the keyring and the active LSM module
+ mustn't deny permission, otherwise error EPERM will be returned.
+
+ Error ENOMEM will be returned if there was insufficient memory to complete
+ the operation, otherwise 0 will be returned to indicate success.
+
+ The keyring will be replaced next time the parent process leaves the
+ kernel and resumes executing userspace.
+
+
+ * Invalidate a key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_INVALIDATE, key_serial_t key);
+
+ This function marks a key as being invalidated and then wakes up the
+ garbage collector. The garbage collector immediately removes invalidated
+ keys from all keyrings and deletes the key when its reference count
+ reaches zero.
+
+ Keys that are marked invalidated become invisible to normal key operations
+ immediately, though they are still visible in /proc/keys until deleted
+ (they're marked with an 'i' flag).
+
+ A process must have search permission on the key for this function to be
+ successful.
+
+ * Compute a Diffie-Hellman shared secret or public key::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_DH_COMPUTE, struct keyctl_dh_params *params,
+ char *buffer, size_t buflen, struct keyctl_kdf_params *kdf);
+
+ The params struct contains serial numbers for three keys::
+
+ - The prime, p, known to both parties
+ - The local private key
+ - The base integer, which is either a shared generator or the
+ remote public key
+
+ The value computed is::
+
+ result = base ^ private (mod prime)
+
+ If the base is the shared generator, the result is the local
+ public key. If the base is the remote public key, the result is
+ the shared secret.
+
+ If the parameter kdf is NULL, the following applies:
+
+ - The buffer length must be at least the length of the prime, or zero.
+
+ - If the buffer length is nonzero, the length of the result is
+ returned when it is successfully calculated and copied in to the
+ buffer. When the buffer length is zero, the minimum required
+ buffer length is returned.
+
+ The kdf parameter allows the caller to apply a key derivation function
+ (KDF) on the Diffie-Hellman computation where only the result
+ of the KDF is returned to the caller. The KDF is characterized with
+ struct keyctl_kdf_params as follows:
+
+ - ``char *hashname`` specifies the NUL terminated string identifying
+ the hash used from the kernel crypto API and applied for the KDF
+ operation. The KDF implemenation complies with SP800-56A as well
+ as with SP800-108 (the counter KDF).
+
+ - ``char *otherinfo`` specifies the OtherInfo data as documented in
+ SP800-56A section 5.8.1.2. The length of the buffer is given with
+ otherinfolen. The format of OtherInfo is defined by the caller.
+ The otherinfo pointer may be NULL if no OtherInfo shall be used.
+
+ This function will return error EOPNOTSUPP if the key type is not
+ supported, error ENOKEY if the key could not be found, or error
+ EACCES if the key is not readable by the caller. In addition, the
+ function will return EMSGSIZE when the parameter kdf is non-NULL
+ and either the buffer length or the OtherInfo length exceeds the
+ allowed length.
+
+ * Restrict keyring linkage::
+
+ long keyctl(KEYCTL_RESTRICT_KEYRING, key_serial_t keyring,
+ const char *type, const char *restriction);
+
+ An existing keyring can restrict linkage of additional keys by evaluating
+ the contents of the key according to a restriction scheme.
+
+ "keyring" is the key ID for an existing keyring to apply a restriction
+ to. It may be empty or may already have keys linked. Existing linked keys
+ will remain in the keyring even if the new restriction would reject them.
+
+ "type" is a registered key type.
+
+ "restriction" is a string describing how key linkage is to be restricted.
+ The format varies depending on the key type, and the string is passed to
+ the lookup_restriction() function for the requested type. It may specify
+ a method and relevant data for the restriction such as signature
+ verification or constraints on key payload. If the requested key type is
+ later unregistered, no keys may be added to the keyring after the key type
+ is removed.
+
+ To apply a keyring restriction the process must have Set Attribute
+ permission and the keyring must not be previously restricted.
+
+Kernel Services
+===============
+
+The kernel services for key management are fairly simple to deal with. They can
+be broken down into two areas: keys and key types.
+
+Dealing with keys is fairly straightforward. Firstly, the kernel service
+registers its type, then it searches for a key of that type. It should retain
+the key as long as it has need of it, and then it should release it. For a
+filesystem or device file, a search would probably be performed during the open
+call, and the key released upon close. How to deal with conflicting keys due to
+two different users opening the same file is left to the filesystem author to
+solve.
+
+To access the key manager, the following header must be #included::
+
+ <linux/key.h>
+
+Specific key types should have a header file under include/keys/ that should be
+used to access that type. For keys of type "user", for example, that would be::
+
+ <keys/user-type.h>
+
+Note that there are two different types of pointers to keys that may be
+encountered:
+
+ * struct key *
+
+ This simply p