mysqld_selinux(8)

📦
version 20250627+git412.dbf877ab7 · 3 versions
, in opensuse-leap 16.0

✨ mysqld_selinux — the manual page, but make it make sense ✨

okay so bestie, you're reading the mysqld_selinux(8) page from the SELinux Policy mysqld set, and honestly? it's giving security lore. let's get into it 💅

🎀 NAME 🎀

mysqld_selinux — Security Enhanced Linux Policy for the mysqld processes. that's the whole vibe. it's the policy page for your mysql/mariadb daemons and it ate. 🍓

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

Security-Enhanced Linux secures the mysqld processes via flexible mandatory access control. yes, flexible. mandatory. both. iconic behavior honestly. ✨

the mysqld processes execute with the mysqld_t SELinux type. you can check if you've got these processes running by executing the ps command with the -Z qualifier. like this, for example:

ps -eZ | grep mysqld_t

that's it. that's the vibe check. 🦋

🧚 ENTRYPOINTS 🧚

the mysqld_t SELinux type can be entered via the mysqld_exec_t file type. no cap, that's the doorway. 🚪✨

the default entrypoint paths for the mysqld_t domain are literally these:

/usr/bin/mysqld(-max|-debug)?
/usr/bin/ndbd
/usr/bin/mysqld
/usr/bin/mariadbd
/usr/libexec/mysqld
/usr/libexec/mariadbd
/usr/bin/mysql_upgrade
/usr/bin/mariadb-backup
/usr/bin/mariadb-upgrade
/usr/bin/mysqld_safe_helper
/usr/bin/mariadbd-safe-helper

look at all those little binaries. main character energy, every single one of them. 👑

💜 PROCESS TYPES 💜

SELinux defines process types (domains) for each process running on the system. one for everybody, basically. 🫶

you can see the context of a process using the -Z option to ps. yep, same flag, doing the same thing. consistency slay. ✨

Policy governs the access confined processes have to files. SELinux mysqld policy is very flexible, allowing users to setup their mysqld processes in as secure a method as possible. very flexible. we love options. 💅

the following process types are defined for mysqld:

  • mysqld_t
  • mysqld_safe_t
  • mysqld_systemd_helper_t
Note: semanage permissive -a mysqld_t can be used to make the process type mysqld_t permissive. SELinux does not deny access to permissive process types, but the AVC (SELinux denials) messages are still generated. so like, it's chill about it but it's still watching. 👀 ngl that's kind of the whole point.

🌈 BOOLEANS 🌈

SELinux policy is customizable based on least access required. mysqld policy is extremely flexible and has several booleans that allow you to manipulate the policy and run mysqld with the tightest access possible. tightest access = the outfit that fits exactly. periodt. 💖

so, one by one, bestie:

  • if you want to allow mysqld to connect to all ports, you must turn on the mysql_connect_any boolean. disabled by default.
setsebool -P mysql_connect_any 1
  • if you want to allow mysqld to connect to http port, you must turn on the mysql_connect_http boolean. disabled by default.
setsebool -P mysql_connect_http 1
  • if you want to allow mysqld to run under a different user via --user, you must turn on the mysql_run_under_different_user boolean. enabled by default.
setsebool -P mysql_run_under_different_user 1
  • if you want to dontaudit all daemons scheduling requests (setsched, sys_nice), you must turn on the daemons_dontaudit_scheduling boolean. enabled by default.
setsebool -P daemons_dontaudit_scheduling 1
  • if you want to determine whether exim can connect to databases, you must turn on the exim_can_connect_db boolean. disabled by default.
setsebool -P exim_can_connect_db 1
  • if you want to allow all domains to execute in fips_mode, you must turn on the fips_mode boolean. enabled by default.
setsebool -P fips_mode 1
  • if you want to determine whether ftpd can connect to databases over the TCP network, you must turn on the ftpd_connect_db boolean. disabled by default.
setsebool -P ftpd_connect_db 1
  • if you want to allow HTTPD scripts and modules to connect to databases over the network, you must turn on the httpd_can_network_connect_db boolean. disabled by default.
setsebool -P httpd_can_network_connect_db 1
  • if you want to allow confined applications to run with kerberos, you must turn on the kerberos_enabled boolean. enabled by default.
setsebool -P kerberos_enabled 1
  • if you want to allow system to run with NIS, you must turn on the nis_enabled boolean. disabled by default.
setsebool -P nis_enabled 1
  • if you want to allow PowerDNS to connect to databases over the network, you must turn on the pdns_can_network_connect_db boolean. disabled by default.
setsebool -P pdns_can_network_connect_db 1

that's eleven booleans, and yes i counted them twice because bestie, accuracy is the whole brand. 🎀

🦋 PORT TYPES 🦋

SELinux defines port types to represent TCP and UDP ports. cute little labels for your network doors. 🚪

you can see the types associated with a port by using the following command:

semanage port -l

Policy governs the access confined processes have to these ports. SELinux mysqld policy is very flexible, allowing users to setup their mysqld processes in as secure a method as possible. yes, same sentence energy, because it's the same promise. 💖

the following port types are defined for mysqld:

  • mysqld_port_t

Default Defined Ports:

tcp 1186,3306,63132-63164

3306? the classic. we know her. iykyk. 💅🔥

⭐ MANAGED FILES ⭐

the SELinux process type mysqld_t can manage files labeled with the following file types. the paths listed are the default paths for these file types. and remember, bestie:

the process's UID still needs to have DAC permissions. SELinux is not out here doing DAC's job for it, no matter how good the vibes are. 🙈

cluster_conf_t

/etc/cluster(/.*)?

cluster_var_lib_t

/var/lib/pcsd(/.*)?
/var/lib/cluster(/.*)?
/var/lib/openais(/.*)?
/var/lib/pengine(/.*)?
/var/lib/corosync(/.*)?
/usr/lib/heartbeat(/.*)?
/var/lib/heartbeat(/.*)?
/var/lib/pacemaker(/.*)?

cluster_var_run_t

/run/crm(/.*)?
/run/cman_.*
/run/rsctmp(/.*)?
/run/aisexec.*
/run/heartbeat(/.*)?
/run/pcsd-ruby.socket
/run/corosync-qnetd(/.*)?
/run/corosync-qdevice(/.*)?
/run/pcsd.socket
/run/corosync.pid
/run/cpglockd.pid
/run/rgmanager.pid
/run/cluster/rgmanager.sk

faillog_t

/var/log/btmp.*
/run/faillock(/.*)?
/var/log/faillog.*
/var/log/tallylog.*

hugetlbfs_t

/dev/hugepages
/usr/lib/udev/devices/hugepages

krb5_host_rcache_t

/var/tmp/krb5_0.rcache2
/var/cache/krb5rcache(/.*)?
/var/tmp/nfs_0
/var/tmp/DNS_25
/var/tmp/host_0
/var/tmp/imap_0
/var/tmp/HTTP_23
/var/tmp/HTTP_48
/var/tmp/ldap_55
/var/tmp/ldap_487
/var/tmp/ldapmap1_0

lastlog_t

/var/log/lastlog.*
/var/lib/lastlog(/.*)?

mysqld_db_t

/var/lib/mysql(-files|-keyring)?(/.*)?
/var/lib/mysql-.*(/.*)?

mysqld_log_t

/var/log/mysql.*
/var/log/mysql(/.*)?
/var/log/mariadb(/.*)?

mysqld_tmp_t

no default paths listed for this one — it's mysqld_tmp_t, that's the whole entry. she's mysterious like that. 🎀

mysqld_var_run_t

/run/mysql(/.*)?
/run/mysqld(/.*)?
/run/mariadb(/.*)?
/var/lib/mysql-.*/mysql(x)?.sock
/var/lib/mysql/mysql(x)?.sock
/var/tmp/mysql-protected.*(/.*)?

root_t

/sysroot/.aleph-version.json
/sysroot/ostree/deploy/.*-atomic/deploy(/.*)?
/
/initrd
/var/lib/ntp

security_t

/selinux

wtmpdb_journal_t

/var/lib/wtmpdb/wtmp.db-journal

and that's where part one wraps up — the rest is still coming, don't go anywhere, we're literally not done yet 💖✨

💾 FILE CONTEXTS 💾

Okay so real talk bestie — SELinux is literally nothing without file contexts, because SELinux requires files to have an extended attribute to define the file type. That's the whole gig. No attribute, no vibe. 🙈

You can see the context of a file using the -Z option to ls — yes, that's your new fave party trick, go try it, I'll wait. 🎀

Policy governs the access confined processes have to these files. And good news: SELinux mysqld policy is super flexible, allowing users to setup their mysqld processes in as secure a method as possible. Iconic behaviour, honestly. 👑

🗂️ EQUIVALENCE DIRECTORIES 🗂️

So here's the tea: mysqld policy stores data with multiple different file context types under the /var/lib/mysql-.* directory. If you would like to store the data in a different directory you can use the semanage command to create an equivalence mapping. Say you wanted to store this data under the /srv directory — you would execute the following command:

semanage fcontext -a -e /var/lib/mysql-.* /srv/mysql-.*
restorecon -R -v /srv/mysql-.*

Same energy for logs, bestie: mysqld policy stores data with multiple different file context types under the /var/log/mysql directory. If you would like to store the data in a different directory you can use the semanage command to create an equivalence mapping. And if you wanted to store this data under the /srv directory you would execute the following command:

semanage fcontext -a -e /var/log/mysql /srv/mysql
restorecon -R -v /srv/mysql

See? Not scary. Slay. 💅

📁 STANDARD FILE CONTEXT 📁

SELinux defines the file context types for the mysqld, so if you wanted to store files with these types in a different paths, you need to execute the semanage command to specify alternate labeling and then use restorecon to put the labels on disk. Like so:

semanage fcontext -a -t mysqld_exec_t '/srv/mysqld/content(/.*)?'
restorecon -R -v /srv/mymysqld_content
Note: SELinux often uses regular expressions to specify labels that match multiple files. So like… don't panic when you see the regex-looking stuff. It's giving intentional. ✨

The following file types are defined for mysqld:

🍓 mysqld_db_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_db_t type, if you want to treat the files as mysqld database content.

Paths:

/var/lib/mysql(-files|-keyring)?(/.*)?, /var/lib/mysql-.*(/.*)?

🍓 mysqld_etc_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_etc_t type, if you want to store mysqld files in the /etc directories.

Paths:

/etc/mysql(/.*)?, /etc/my.cnf.d(/.*)?, /etc/my.cnf

🍓 mysqld_exec_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_exec_t type, if you want to transition an executable to the mysqld_t domain.

Paths:

/usr/bin/mysqld(-max|-debug)?, /usr/bin/ndbd, /usr/bin/mysqld,
/usr/bin/mariadbd, /usr/libexec/mysqld, /usr/libexec/mariadbd,
/usr/bin/mysql_upgrade, /usr/bin/mariadb-backup, /usr/bin/mariadb-upgrade,
/usr/bin/mysqld_safe_helper, /usr/bin/mariadbd-safe-helper

🍓 mysqld_home_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_home_t type, if you want to store mysqld files in the users home directory.

Paths:

/root/.my.cnf, /home/[^/]+/.my.cnf

🍓 mysqld_initrc_exec_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_initrc_exec_t type, if you want to transition an executable to the mysqld_initrc_t domain.

(No paths listed for this one — it's mysterious like that. 🦋)

🍓 mysqld_log_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_log_t type, if you want to treat the data as mysqld log data, usually stored under the /var/log directory.

Paths:

/var/log/mysql.*, /var/log/mysql(/.*)?, /var/log/mariadb(/.*)?

🍓 mysqld_safe_exec_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_safe_exec_t type, if you want to transition an executable to the mysqld_safe_t domain.

Paths:

/usr/bin/mysqld_safe, /usr/bin/mariadbd-safe,
/usr/libexec/mysqld_safe-scl-helper

🍓 mysqld_systemd_helper_exec_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_systemd_helper_exec_t type, if you want to transition an executable to the mysqld_systemd_helper_t domain.

(Also no paths. We respect the mystery. 🌈)

🍓 mysqld_tmp_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_tmp_t type, if you want to store mysqld temporary files in the /tmp directories.

🍓 mysqld_unit_file_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_unit_file_t type, if you want to treat the files as mysqld unit content.

Paths:

/usr/lib/systemd/system/mysql.*, /usr/lib/systemd/system/mysqld.*,
/usr/lib/systemd/system/mariadb.*

🍓 mysqld_var_run_t

  • Set files with the mysqld_var_run_t type, if you want to store the mysqld files under the /run or /var/run directory.

Paths:

/run/mysql(/.*)?, /run/mysqld(/.*)?, /run/mariadb(/.*)?,
/var/lib/mysql-.*/mysql(x)?.sock, /var/lib/mysql/mysql(x)?.sock,
/var/tmp/mysql-protected.*(/.*)?
Note: File context can be temporarily modified with the chcon command. If you want to permanently change the file context you need to use the semanage fcontext command. This will modify the SELinux labeling database. You will need to use restorecon to apply the labels. Temporary vs permanent is lowkey the whole plot twist here, don't forget it. 😭

🧰 COMMANDS 🧰

Here's your little toolbox, bestie — every one of these is a semanage subcommand with main character energy:

  • semanage fcontext can also be used to manipulate default file context mappings.
  • semanage permissive can also be used to manipulate whether or not a process type is permissive.
  • semanage module can also be used to enable/disable/install/remove policy modules.
  • semanage port can also be used to manipulate the port definitions
  • semanage boolean can also be used to manipulate the booleans

And then there's system-config-selinux — a GUI tool available to customize SELinux policy settings. For when you want the whole experience but, like, clicky. 🖱️✨

✍️ AUTHOR ✍️

This manual page was auto-generated using sepolicy manpage . No human author to thank, just the machine doing its thing. Fr fr. 🤖💜

👀 SEE ALSO 👀

Go read these next, they're all part of the same friend group:

selinux(8), mysqld(8), semanage(8), restorecon(8), chcon(1), sepolicy(8), setsebool(8), mysqld_safe_selinux(8), mysqld_systemd_helper_selinux(8)

That's a wrap on the mysqld_selinux(8) page, page mysqld, dated 26-10-06 — go forth and label responsibly, bestie. 🫶🎀 You ate. 💅✨🦋

📦 where this page comes from