key_task_permission(9)

💖 NAME 💖

key_task_permission — check a key can be used. (yes bestie, this is key_task_permission(9) from the Kernel API Manual 🫶)

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

int key_task_permission (const key_ref_t key_ref , const struct cred
*cred , enum key_need_perm need_perm );

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

• key_ref — the key you're checking, bestie.
• cred — the credentials to use.
• need_perm — the permission you need.

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

okay so key_task_permission checks whether permission is granted to use a key in the desired way — but it lets the security modules override that. 👑

⚠️ caveat that matters, bestie: the caller must hold either a ref on cred or must hold the RCU readlock. like, actually. do not skip this one.

It returns 0 if successful, and -EACCES if access is denied based on the permissions bits or the LSM check. periodt. 💅

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

• Kernel file ./security/keys/permission.c
• key_validate(9)

later bestie — source ./security/keys, dated October 2026 💖✨