Re: [PATCH] tty: replace capable() with file_ns_capable()

[Greg KH <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>]

On Sat, Jun 07, 2025 at 07:11:14PM +0530, Pranav Tyagi wrote:
> The TIOCCONS ioctl currently uses capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN) to check for
> privileges, which validates the current task's credentials. Since this
> ioctl acts on an open file descriptor, the check should instead use the
> file opener's credentials.
> 
> Replace capable() with file_ns_capable() to ensure the capability is
> checked against file->f_cred in the correct user namespace. This
> prevents unintended privilege escalation and aligns with best practices
> for secure ioctl implementations.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Pranav Tyagi <pranav.tyagi03@gmail.com>
> Link: https://github.com/KSPP/linux/issues/156
> ---
>  drivers/tty/tty_io.c | 5 ++++-
>  1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
> index e2d92cf70eb7..ee0df35d65c3 100644
> --- a/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
> +++ b/drivers/tty/tty_io.c
> @@ -102,6 +102,9 @@
>  #include <linux/uaccess.h>
>  #include <linux/termios_internal.h>
>  #include <linux/fs.h>
> +#include <linux/cred.h>
> +#include <linux/user_namespace.h>
> +#include <linux/capability.h>
>  
>  #include <linux/kbd_kern.h>
>  #include <linux/vt_kern.h>
> @@ -2379,7 +2382,7 @@ static int tiocswinsz(struct tty_struct *tty, struct winsize __user *arg)
>   */
>  static int tioccons(struct file *file)
>  {
> -	if (!capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
> +	if (!file_ns_capable(file, file->f_cred->user_ns, CAP_SYS_ADMIN))

As you now are affecting the user/kernel api here, how was this tested
and are you _SURE_ this is the correct thing to be doing?  Did you audit
all userspace users of this ioctl that you can find (i.e. a Debian code
search) to verify that they can handle this change in behaviour?

I need a lot of assurances before being able to take a change like this,
for obvious reasons.

thanks,

greg k-h