[PATCH v8 01/12] lsm: Add LSM hook security_unix_find

Günther Noack
2026-03-27T16:49:07Z

From: Justin Suess <utilityemal77@gmail.com>

Add an LSM hook security_unix_find.

This hook is called to check the path of a named UNIX socket before a
connection is initiated. The peer socket may be inspected as well.

Why existing hooks are unsuitable:

Existing socket hooks, security_unix_stream_connect(),
security_unix_may_send(), and security_socket_connect() don't provide
TOCTOU-free / namespace independent access to the paths of sockets.

(1) We cannot resolve the path from the struct sockaddr in existing hooks.
This requires another path lookup. A change in the path between the
two lookups will cause a TOCTOU bug.

(2) We cannot use the struct path from the listening socket, because it
may be bound to a path in a different namespace than the caller,
resulting in a path that cannot be referenced at policy creation time.

Consumers of the hook wishing to reference @other are responsible
for acquiring the unix_state_lock and checking for the SOCK_DEAD flag
therein, ensuring the socket hasn't died since lookup.

Cc: Günther Noack <gnoack3000@gmail.com>
Cc: Tingmao Wang <m@maowtm.org>
Cc: Mickaël Salaün <mic@digikod.net>
Cc: Paul Moore <paul@paul-moore.com>
Signed-off-by: Justin Suess <utilityemal77@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Günther Noack <gnoack3000@gmail.com>
---
include/linux/lsm_hook_defs.h | 5 +++++
include/linux/security.h | 11 +++++++++++
net/unix/af_unix.c | 10 +++++++---
security/security.c | 20 ++++++++++++++++++++
4 files changed, 43 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/include/linux/lsm_hook_defs.h b/include/linux/lsm_hook_defs.h
index 8c42b4bde09c..7a0fd3dbfa29 100644
--- a/include/linux/lsm_hook_defs.h
+++ b/include/linux/lsm_hook_defs.h
@@ -317,6 +317,11 @@ LSM_HOOK(int, 0, post_notification, const struct cred *w_cred,
LSM_HOOK(int, 0, watch_key, struct key *key)
#endif /* CONFIG_SECURITY && CONFIG_KEY_NOTIFICATIONS */

+#if defined(CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK) && defined(CONFIG_SECURITY_PATH)
+LSM_HOOK(int, 0, unix_find, const struct path *path, struct sock *other,
+ int flags)
+#endif /* CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK && CONFIG_SECURITY_PATH */
+
#ifdef CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK
LSM_HOOK(int, 0, unix_stream_connect, struct sock *sock, struct sock *other,
struct sock *newsk)
diff --git a/include/linux/security.h b/include/linux/security.h
index 83a646d72f6f..99a33d8eb28d 100644
--- a/include/linux/security.h
+++ b/include/linux/security.h
@@ -1931,6 +1931,17 @@ static inline int security_mptcp_add_subflow(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk)
}
#endif /* CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK */

+#if defined(CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK) && defined(CONFIG_SECURITY_PATH)
+
+int security_unix_find(const struct path *path, struct sock *other, int flags);
+
+#else /* CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK && CONFIG_SECURITY_PATH */
+static inline int security_unix_find(const struct path *path, struct sock *other, int flags)
+{
+ return 0;
+}
+#endif /* CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK && CONFIG_SECURITY_PATH */
+
#ifdef CONFIG_SECURITY_INFINIBAND
int security_ib_pkey_access(void *sec, u64 subnet_prefix, u16 pkey);
int security_ib_endport_manage_subnet(void *sec, const char *name, u8 port_num);
diff --git a/net/unix/af_unix.c b/net/unix/af_unix.c
index 3756a93dc63a..5ef3c2e31757 100644
--- a/net/unix/af_unix.c
+++ b/net/unix/af_unix.c
@@ -1231,11 +1231,15 @@ static struct sock *unix_find_bsd(struct sockaddr_un *sunaddr, int addr_len,
goto path_put;

err = -EPROTOTYPE;
- if (sk->sk_type == type)
- touch_atime(&path);
- else
+ if (sk->sk_type != type)
goto sock_put;

+ err = security_unix_find(&path, sk, flags);
+ if (err)
+ goto sock_put;
+
+ touch_atime(&path);
+
path_put(&path);

return sk;
diff --git a/security/security.c b/security/security.c
index 67af9228c4e9..28ccea205874 100644
--- a/security/security.c
+++ b/security/security.c
@@ -4731,6 +4731,26 @@ int security_mptcp_add_subflow(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk)

#endif /* CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK */

+#if defined(CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK) && defined(CONFIG_SECURITY_PATH)
+/**
+ * security_unix_find() - Check if a named AF_UNIX socket can connect
+ * @path: path of the socket being connected to
+ * @other: peer sock
+ * @flags: flags associated with the socket
+ *
+ * This hook is called to check permissions before connecting to a named
+ * AF_UNIX socket. The caller does not hold any locks on @other.
+ *
+ * Return: Returns 0 if permission is granted.
+ */
+int security_unix_find(const struct path *path, struct sock *other, int flags)
+{
+ return call_int_hook(unix_find, path, other, flags);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(security_unix_find);
+
+#endif /* CONFIG_SECURITY_NETWORK && CONFIG_SECURITY_PATH */
+
#ifdef CONFIG_SECURITY_INFINIBAND
/**
* security_ib_pkey_access() - Check if access to an IB pkey is allowed
--
2.53.0