In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ima: don't clear IMA_DIGSIG flag when setting or removing non-IMA xattr
Currently when both IMA and EVM are in fix mode, the IMA signature will
be reset to IMA hash if a program first stores IMA signature in
security.ima and then writes/removes some other security xattr for the
file.
For example, on Fedora, after booting the kernel with "ima_appraise=fix
evm=fix ima_policy=appraise_tcb" and installing rpm-plugin-ima,
installing/reinstalling a package will not make good reference IMA
signature generated. Instead IMA hash is generated,
# getfattr -m - -d -e hex /usr/bin/bash
# file: usr/bin/bash
security.ima=0x0404...
This happens because when setting security.selinux, the IMA_DIGSIG flag
that had been set early was cleared. As a result, IMA hash is generated
when the file is closed.
Similarly, IMA signature can be cleared on file close after removing
security xattr like security.evm or setting/removing ACL.
Prevent replacing the IMA file signature with a file hash, by preventing
the IMA_DIGSIG flag from being reset.
Here's a minimal C reproducer which sets security.selinux as the last
step which can also replaced by removing security.evm or setting ACL,
#include <stdio.h>
#include <sys/xattr.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main() {
const char* file_path = "/usr/sbin/test_binary";
const char* hex_string = "030204d33204490066306402304";
int length = strlen(hex_string);
char* ima_attr_value;
int fd;
fd = open(file_path, O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_EXCL, 0644);
if (fd == -1) {
perror("Error opening file");
return 1;
}
ima_attr_value = (char*)malloc(length / 2 );
for (int i = 0, j = 0; i < length; i += 2, j++) {
sscanf(hex_string + i, "%2hhx", &ima_attr_value[j]);
}
if (fsetxattr(fd, "security.ima", ima_attr_value, length/2, 0) == -1) {
perror("Error setting extended attribute");
close(fd);
return 1;
}
const char* selinux_value= "system_u:object_r:bin_t:s0";
if (fsetxattr(fd, "security.selinux", selinux_value, strlen(selinux_value), 0) == -1) {
perror("Error setting extended attribute");
close(fd);
return 1;
}
close(fd);
return 0;
}
ima: don't clear IMA_DIGSIG flag when setting or removing non-IMA xattr
Currently when both IMA and EVM are in fix mode, the IMA signature will
be reset to IMA hash if a program first stores IMA signature in
security.ima and then writes/removes some other security xattr for the
file.
For example, on Fedora, after booting the kernel with "ima_appraise=fix
evm=fix ima_policy=appraise_tcb" and installing rpm-plugin-ima,
installing/reinstalling a package will not make good reference IMA
signature generated. Instead IMA hash is generated,
# getfattr -m - -d -e hex /usr/bin/bash
# file: usr/bin/bash
security.ima=0x0404...
This happens because when setting security.selinux, the IMA_DIGSIG flag
that had been set early was cleared. As a result, IMA hash is generated
when the file is closed.
Similarly, IMA signature can be cleared on file close after removing
security xattr like security.evm or setting/removing ACL.
Prevent replacing the IMA file signature with a file hash, by preventing
the IMA_DIGSIG flag from being reset.
Here's a minimal C reproducer which sets security.selinux as the last
step which can also replaced by removing security.evm or setting ACL,
#include <stdio.h>
#include <sys/xattr.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main() {
const char* file_path = "/usr/sbin/test_binary";
const char* hex_string = "030204d33204490066306402304";
int length = strlen(hex_string);
char* ima_attr_value;
int fd;
fd = open(file_path, O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_EXCL, 0644);
if (fd == -1) {
perror("Error opening file");
return 1;
}
ima_attr_value = (char*)malloc(length / 2 );
for (int i = 0, j = 0; i < length; i += 2, j++) {
sscanf(hex_string + i, "%2hhx", &ima_attr_value[j]);
}
if (fsetxattr(fd, "security.ima", ima_attr_value, length/2, 0) == -1) {
perror("Error setting extended attribute");
close(fd);
return 1;
}
const char* selinux_value= "system_u:object_r:bin_t:s0";
if (fsetxattr(fd, "security.selinux", selinux_value, strlen(selinux_value), 0) == -1) {
perror("Error setting extended attribute");
close(fd);
return 1;
}
close(fd);
return 0;
}
Metrics
Affected Vendors & Products
Advisories
No advisories yet.
Fixes
Solution
No solution given by the vendor.
Workaround
No workaround given by the vendor.
References
History
Tue, 16 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000
| Type | Values Removed | Values Added |
|---|---|---|
| Description | In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: ima: don't clear IMA_DIGSIG flag when setting or removing non-IMA xattr Currently when both IMA and EVM are in fix mode, the IMA signature will be reset to IMA hash if a program first stores IMA signature in security.ima and then writes/removes some other security xattr for the file. For example, on Fedora, after booting the kernel with "ima_appraise=fix evm=fix ima_policy=appraise_tcb" and installing rpm-plugin-ima, installing/reinstalling a package will not make good reference IMA signature generated. Instead IMA hash is generated, # getfattr -m - -d -e hex /usr/bin/bash # file: usr/bin/bash security.ima=0x0404... This happens because when setting security.selinux, the IMA_DIGSIG flag that had been set early was cleared. As a result, IMA hash is generated when the file is closed. Similarly, IMA signature can be cleared on file close after removing security xattr like security.evm or setting/removing ACL. Prevent replacing the IMA file signature with a file hash, by preventing the IMA_DIGSIG flag from being reset. Here's a minimal C reproducer which sets security.selinux as the last step which can also replaced by removing security.evm or setting ACL, #include <stdio.h> #include <sys/xattr.h> #include <fcntl.h> #include <unistd.h> #include <string.h> #include <stdlib.h> int main() { const char* file_path = "/usr/sbin/test_binary"; const char* hex_string = "030204d33204490066306402304"; int length = strlen(hex_string); char* ima_attr_value; int fd; fd = open(file_path, O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_EXCL, 0644); if (fd == -1) { perror("Error opening file"); return 1; } ima_attr_value = (char*)malloc(length / 2 ); for (int i = 0, j = 0; i < length; i += 2, j++) { sscanf(hex_string + i, "%2hhx", &ima_attr_value[j]); } if (fsetxattr(fd, "security.ima", ima_attr_value, length/2, 0) == -1) { perror("Error setting extended attribute"); close(fd); return 1; } const char* selinux_value= "system_u:object_r:bin_t:s0"; if (fsetxattr(fd, "security.selinux", selinux_value, strlen(selinux_value), 0) == -1) { perror("Error setting extended attribute"); close(fd); return 1; } close(fd); return 0; } | |
| Title | ima: don't clear IMA_DIGSIG flag when setting or removing non-IMA xattr | |
| First Time appeared |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| CPEs | cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | |
| Vendors & Products |
Linux
Linux linux Kernel |
|
| References |
|
Projects
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MITRE
Status: PUBLISHED
Assigner: Linux
Published:
Updated: 2025-12-16T13:43:01.178Z
Reserved: 2025-12-16T13:41:40.252Z
Link: CVE-2025-68183
Vulnrichment
No data.
NVD
Status : Received
Published: 2025-12-16T14:15:50.880
Modified: 2025-12-16T14:15:50.880
Link: CVE-2025-68183
Redhat
No data.
OpenCVE Enrichment
No data.
Weaknesses
No weakness.