securityfs_create_symlink(9)

💅 securityfs_create_symlink — the Kernel API Manual

okay so bestie, today's main character is securityfs_create_symlink(9) from the Kernel API Manual — and she is literally the girl who makes symlinks inside securityfs. no cap. ✨

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

struct dentry * securityfs_create_symlink (const char *name , struct
dentry *parent , const char *target , const struct inode_operations
*iops );

like… look at her. four params, one struct dentry * coming back at you. she ate. 💅

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🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• name — a pointer to a string holding the name of the symlink you're about to create. that's the label on the door, bestie. 🚪
• parent — a pointer to the parent dentry for the symlink. this should be a directory dentry if you set it. and if this parameter is NULL? then the directory gets created in the root of the securityfs filesystem. so like, NULL = "put it at the top, idc." 🫶
• target — a pointer to a string containing the name of the symlink's target. ⚠️ but heads up: if this parameter is NULL, then the iops parameter needs to be set up to handle .readlink and .get_link inode_operations. it's giving "you have to do the work yourself." 😭
• iops — a pointer to the struct inode_operations to use for the symlink. if this parameter is NULL, then the default simple_symlink_inode operations will be used. easy mode, slay. ✨

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so what does she actually do? this function creates a symlink in securityfs with the given name. that's it, that's the vibe. 🌈

now the important part, and i need you to actually listen for this one: this function returns a pointer to a dentry if it succeeds. 🎀 that pointer must be passed to the securityfs_remove function when the file is to be removed. like, for real. there is no automatic cleanup that happens if your module is unloaded — you are responsible here. no one is coming to save you, bestie. 💀😭

if an error occurs, the function will return the error value (via ERR_PTR). so, y'know, vibe check your return value before you dereference it. 🙈

and if securityfs is not enabled in the kernel? the value -ENODEV is returned. iconic of her honestly. 👑

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🌟 SEE ALSO 🌟

• Kernel file ./security/inode.c
• securityfs_create_dentry(9)
• securityfs_create_file(9)
• securityfs_create_dir(9)
• securityfs_remove(9)

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and that's the whole page, bestie!! 🫶✨ this lil gem comes from the source ./security, dated October 2026, in the Kernel API Manual — go forth and symlink responsibly. 💖🎀🦋