crypto_alloc_sig(9)

💖 crypto_alloc_sig(9) 💖

okay so this is a page from the Kernel API Manual, bestie — it's literally called crypto_alloc_sig and it's all about getting yourself a signature tfm handle. yes, "tfm" — it's a thing, we move. 🦋

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✨ NAME ✨

crypto_alloc_sig — allocate signature tfm handle. that's it, that's the whole name section, she's concise and she's iconic 💅

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

struct crypto_sig * crypto_alloc_sig (const char *alg_name , u32 type ,
u32 mask );

look at her. three args, one return, zero notes. main character energy fr fr 🔥

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🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• alg_name — this is the cra_name / name, or the cra_driver_name / driver name of the signing algorithm. like, for example, "ecdsa". yes literally in quotes, that's the vibe 🫶
• type — specifies the type of the algorithm. that's the whole job, she's a type girlie 💜
• mask — specifies the mask for the algorithm. mask era, we respect it ⭐

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🧚 DESCRIPTION 🧚

so what does she actually do? she allocates a handle for a public key signature algorithm. that's the tea.

the struct crypto_sig you get back is the handle — and ngl you literally need it for any subsequent API invocation for signature operations. no handle, no signature ops. it's giving "you can't sit with us" but in a data structure way 😭

keep that handle safe — every later call in the signature world is gonna want it 👑

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🌈 RETURN 🌈

• allocated handle in case of success — slay, we love a happy ending 💖
• IS_ERR is true in case of an error, and PTR_ERR returns the error code — so like, check your vibes (and your pointers) before you proceed, IS_ERR is not the moment to be delulu 💀

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🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

the whole friend group, no cap:

• Kernel file ./include/crypto/sig.h
• struct crypto_sig(9)
• struct sig_alg(9)
• Generic Public Key Signature API(9)
• crypto_free_sig(9)
• crypto_sig_keysize(9)
• crypto_sig_digestsize(9)
• crypto_sig_maxsize(9)
• crypto_sig_sign(9)
• crypto_sig_verify(9)
• crypto_sig_set_pubkey(9)
• crypto_sig_set_privkey(9)

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and that's the page, bestie 🎀 this came out of ./include/crypto and it's dated October 2026 — so jot that down, cite it right, and go allocate that handle. periodt. 💅✨🌸