5.9.2. Moving Files and Directories
Files and directories keep their current SELinux context when they are moved. In many cases, this is incorrect for the location they are being moved to. The following example demonstrates moving a file from a user's home directory to
/var/www/html/, which is used by the Apache HTTP Server. Since the file is moved, it does not inherit the correct SELinux context:
- Run the
cdcommand without any arguments to change into your home directory. Once in your home directory, run thetouch file1command to create a file. This file is labeled with theuser_home_ttype:~]$
ls -Z file1-rw-rw-r-- user1 group1 unconfined_u:object_r:user_home_t:s0 file1 - Run the
ls -dZ /var/www/html/command to view the SELinux context of the/var/www/html/directory:~]$
ls -dZ /var/www/html/drwxr-xr-x root root system_u:object_r:httpd_sys_content_t:s0 /var/www/html/By default, the/var/www/html/directory is labeled with thehttpd_sys_content_ttype. Files and directories created under the/var/www/html/directory inherit this type, and as such, they are labeled with this type. - As the Linux root user, run the
mv file1 /var/www/html/command to movefile1to the/var/www/html/directory. Since this file is moved, it keeps its currentuser_home_ttype:~]#
mv file1 /var/www/html/~]#ls -Z /var/www/html/file1-rw-rw-r-- user1 group1 unconfined_u:object_r:user_home_t:s0 /var/www/html/file1
By default, the Apache HTTP Server cannot read files that are labeled with the
user_home_t type. If all files comprising a web page are labeled with the user_home_t type, or another type that the Apache HTTP Server cannot read, permission is denied when attempting to access them via web browsers, such as Firefox.
Important
Moving files and directories with the
mv command may result in the incorrect SELinux context, preventing processes, such as the Apache HTTP Server and Samba, from accessing such files and directories.
