evm_inode_post_removexattr(9)

💖 evm_inode_post_removexattr(9) — the kernel API manual, but make it make sense 💖

okay so bestie, this is evm_inode_post_removexattr(9) from the Kernel API Manual, and it is literally the cleanup bestie of the xattr world. let me tell you everything, no cap 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

evm_inode_post_removexattr — update security.evm after removing the xattr

like, the whole entire job is: xattr got yeeted, now go fix up security.evm. that's it. that's the gig. 💅

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

void evm_inode_post_removexattr (struct dentry *dentry , const char *xattr_name );

returns void, so no exit status to stress about, she just does the thing and leaves ✨

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🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• dentry — pointer to the affected dentry. yes, this is the one that got its xattr removed, keep up bestie 🦋
• xattr_name — pointer to the affected extended attribute name. the name of the xattr that dipped 👋

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💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

Update the HMAC stored in security.evm to reflect removal of the xattr. that's the whole vibe check — the HMAC is sitting there in security.evm thinking everything's fine, and this function is like "girl, the xattr is gone, let me update you" 🫶

no need to take the i_mutex lock here, bestie — this function is called from vfs_removexattr, which already takes the i_mutex. so it's lowkey already handled, do NOT go grabbing locks you don't need, that's not the move 😭

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• Kernel file ./security/integrity/evm/evm_main.c — the location, iykyk 📁
• evm_read_protected_xattrs(9)
• evm_verifyxattr(9)
• evm_inode_setxattr(9)
• evm_inode_removexattr(9)
• evm_inode_set_acl(9)
• evm_inode_remove_acl(9)
• evm_metadata_changed(9)
• evm_revalidate_status(9)
• evm_fix_hmac(9)
• evm_inode_post_setxattr(9)
• evm_inode_post_set_acl(9)
• evm_inode_post_remove_acl(9)
• evm_inode_setattr(9)
• evm_inode_post_setattr(9)

the whole friend group, fr fr 🌈

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okay that's the page!! it lives in ./security/integrity/evm, dated October 2026 — so like, future energy, main character timestamp. mwah, go read the source bestie 💜💖🎀