SELinux

Linux Distributions Supporting SELinux

Currently only Fedora Core supports SELinux by providing it as an integral component that is installed without special effort on the part of the installing user. However, Red Hat has announced that Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 (RHEL 4) will support SELinux. The RHEL 4 implementation of SELinux is expected to closely resemble the one in Fedora Core 2.

Fedora Core 2

Fedora Core is a Linux distribution sponsored—but not supported—by Red Hat that uses the distribution as a test bed for new technologies being considered for incorporation in Red Hat’s supported distributions, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Fedora Core is freely available at http://fedora.redhat.com. Unlike Red Hat Enterprise Linux, which contains proprietary components, Fedora Core is fully redistributable under the terms of the GNU GPL.

Fedora Core 2 presents the most convenient implementation of SELinux available to date. To install SELinux, you must respond selinux to the boot prompt that appears after booting from the installation media.^[6] During the installation procedure, the Firewalls screen (see Figure 3-1) provides the user with the opportunity to choose from three levels of SELinux support:

Disabled

Disables SELinux.

Warn

Enables SELinux to log, but not prevent, attempted violations of the SELinux policy.

Active

Enables SELinux to fully enforce its policy.

Figure 3-1. The Fedora ...