STRUCT LAYER_MASK(9)

💅 struct layer_mask(9) — the Kernel API Manual, but make it make sense

okay so bestie, buckle up, because this is a page about struct layer_mask from the kernel API manual (section 9, iykyk), and it's literally the access rights + rule flags for a layer. that's the whole vibe. let's get into it 🎀

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✨ NAME ✨

struct layer_mask — the access rights and rule flags for a layer. yes, that's the entire name section and yes it ate 💅

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

here's the struct in all its glory, character for character, no notes:

struct layer_mask {
    access_mask_t access : LANDLOCK_NUM_ACCESS_MAX;
  #ifdef CONFIG_SECURITY_LANDLOCK_LOG;
    access_mask_t quiet : 1;
  #endif ;
    access_mask_t __pad : _LANDLOCK_LAYER_MASK_PADDING;
 };

like... look at those bitfields. the compiler said "we're doing bits today" and honestly? iconic ✨

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🌸 Members 🌸

• access — the unfulfilled access rights for this layer. think of it as the to-do list of permissions that haven't been granted yet, bestie 📝
• quiet — whether we've encountered a rule with the quiet flag for this layer. it's used to control logging, so it's basically the "shh, no talking" switch 🤫 (and reminder: it lives inside #ifdef CONFIG_SECURITY_LANDLOCK_LOG, so no config, no quiet — periodt)
• __pad — padding for the compiler's bitfield initialization. it's the structural equivalent of a decorative cushion: not doing much, but the compiler needs it 🛋️

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🧚 Description 🧚

okay so this struct has a bit for each access rights and rule flags, fr fr 💖

during access checks, it's used to represent the access rights for each layer which still need to be fulfilled. so picture the main character of an access check holding a little checklist per layer, and layer_mask is that checklist 🌈

and here's the satisfying part: when all bits are 0, the access request is considered to be fulfilled. all zeros = vibes immaculate, request granted, confetti 🎉👑

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• Kernel file ./security/landlock/access.h
• struct layer_masks(9)

(notice the s, bestie — that's layer_masks, plural. do not come for me, I'm just the messenger 😭)

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lowkey important: don't mix this up with struct layer_masks(9). one s is a whole different struct and that's just how it is 💀

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and that's the page! 🫶 this one came from ./security/landlock and it's dated October 2026 — so like, future vibes only ⭐💜 mwah, study your bitfields, ily, bye 🎀