context_type_get - Linux

Overview

The context_type_get command retrieves the SELinux context of a file or directory. It allows users to view and manage the SELinux security labeling associated with files and directories on a Linux system.

Syntax

context_type_get [-a] [-c] [-m] [-r] [--help] [--version] [file-or-directory]

Options/Flags

  • -a: Print type attributes.
  • -c: Print type creators.
  • -m: Print type modifiers.
  • -r: Print role type.
  • –help: Display help information.
  • –version: Display version information.

Examples

Simple usage: Get the SELinux context of a file named "myfile":

context_type_get myfile

Print type attributes:

context_type_get -a myfile

Print role type:

context_type_get -r myfile

Complex usage: Use context_type_get in a bash script to check if a directory has a specific SELinux context:

#!/bin/bash

DIR="/path/to/dir"
EXPECTED_CONTEXT="system_u:object_r:home_dir_t:s0"

# Get the current SELinux context of the directory
DIR_CONTEXT=`context_type_get $DIR`

# Check if the context matches the expected value
if [ "$DIR_CONTEXT" = "$EXPECTED_CONTEXT" ]; then
  echo "Directory $DIR has the expected SELinux context."
else
  echo "Directory $DIR does not have the expected SELinux context. Found: $DIR_CONTEXT"
fi

Common Issues

  • Error: Permission denied: Ensure you have adequate permissions to access the specified file or directory.
  • Error: Invalid argument: Verify that the specified file or directory exists and is valid.

Integration

context_type_get can be integrated with other commands to automate tasks related to SELinux context management. For example, you can use context_type_get to check the context of a file before applying a policy change:

#!/bin/bash

FILE="/path/to/file"
EXPECTED_CONTEXT="user_u:object_r:file_t:s0"

# Get the current SELinux context of the file
FILE_CONTEXT=`context_type_get $FILE`

# Check if the context matches the expected value
if [ "$FILE_CONTEXT" = "$EXPECTED_CONTEXT" ]; then
  # Apply the policy change
  semanage fcontext -a -t file_t $FILE
else
  echo "File $FILE does not have the expected SELinux context. Skipping policy change."
fi

Related Commands

  • chcon: Change the SELinux context of a file or directory.
  • semanage fcontext: Manage SELinux file context mappings.
  • semanage boolean: Manage SELinux booleans.