sesearch tips — authorized SELinux-allow-rule literacy

Last updated: · By the BinBench editorial team · Stars and releases checked via the GitHub API
For legal, authorized and educational use only. Only analyze software you own or have written permission to examine.
Quick answer

sesearch (from setools) helps authorized labs sample SELinux allow-rule literacy on hosts they own. Pair with seinfo-tips, getenforce-tips, ausearch-tips, selinux-tips, aureport-tips. Prefer lab VMs — never hunt allow rules on foreign hosts without permission.

On this page

Snapshot

FieldValue
Surfacesesearch tip checklist (allow / neverallow / source / target)
JobAuthorized SELinux allow-rule literacy
Peerseinfo-tips
Peergetenforce-tips
Peerausearch-tips
Peeraureport-tips

Tip checklist (authorized only)

  1. Confirm you may run sesearch on the lab host (syllabus box you own; setools installed).
  2. Prefer documenting who / why / ticket before any broad allow-rule dump — never scrape production policy without change control.
  3. Record short factual notes; quote short Evidence (source/target/class/perms — never secrets or foreign full dumps).
  4. Optional: type inventory peer → seinfo-tips.
  5. Optional: runtime AVC peer → ausearch-tips.
  6. Prefer disposable lab VMs for sesearch drills; quote non-secret allow-rule labels afterward as Evidence.
  7. Prefer narrow queries (sesearch -A -s SRC -t TGT) for most Evidence binders — refuse unauthorized privilege-path cookbooks.
  8. Stop at literacy — no attack or unauthorized MAC-bypass cookbooks.

Allowed framing

  • Classroom labs reviewing sesearch -A -s SOURCE -t TARGET -c CLASS on authorized disposable hosts.
  • Binding short factual notes as Evidence (allow-rule labels — no secrets).
  • Documenting expected vs observed allow rules for authorized inventory notes.
  • Comparing sesearch ↔ seinfo / getenforce / ausearch / aureport peer tip pages under one binder.
  • Testing syllabus-approved allow-rule queries only when change control authorizes that drill on lab resources.

Scope we will not cover

  • No crack/pirate/keygen via sesearch.
  • No intentional unauthorized SELinux privilege-path hunting against foreign hosts.
  • No secret-theft or full allow-rule credential harvesting against hosts you do not own.
  • No cookbooks that map SELinux allow rules for attack without authorization.
  • No hostile allow-rule enumeration framed as exploit steps.

Beginner path (authorized only)

  1. Obtain one syllabus-approved disposable lab host with setools (sesearch) available.
  2. Prefer a throwaway lab VM before any broad allow-rule query.
  3. With authorization, run a narrow sesearch -A -s LAB_T -t LAB_T; quote selected allow-rule labels as Evidence.
  4. Optional: peer tip pages above when the syllabus asks.
  5. Stop at literacy — no attack or unauthorized privilege-path cookbooks.

Practical notes for authorized labs

  • sesearch queries allow/neverallow/auditallow rules — keep Evidence labels distinct from seinfo-tips type inventory.
  • Pair with ausearch-tips / aureport-tips when the syllabus compares policy allow rules to runtime AVC denials.
  • Broad dumps are huge — never paste secrets into notes or git.
  • Prefer documenting source/target/class labels the syllabus authorized without dumping entire rule stores.
  • Never commit raw sesearch full dumps with secrets to git — even for labs.

FAQ-aligned refusals (quick)

  • Foreign-host SELinux privilege-path hunting → refuse.
  • Unauthorized MAC-bypass / attack-mapping cookbooks → refuse.
  • Attack/credential-theft framing → refuse.
Which to pick
  • Prefer authorized, redacted, secret-free Evidence.
  • Use seinfo / getenforce / ausearch / aureport peer tip pages when the syllabus asks.
  • No crack or unauthorized-access framing.

For legal, authorized and educational use only.

FAQ

What is a "sesearch tip" page in BinBench framing?

A checklist for authorized SELinux allow-rule Evidence (sesearch -A -s SOURCE -t TARGET on lab policy) on hosts you own or were given syllabus access to — not a cookbook for finding privilege paths on foreign servers.

How does this relate to seinfo-tips / getenforce-tips / ausearch-tips / aureport-tips?

seinfo-tips covers types/classes/attributes; getenforce-tips covers mode; ausearch-tips and aureport-tips cover runtime AVC. This page zooms on a sesearch tip checklist — it does not overwrite those pages.

Can I run sesearch against hosts I do not own?

No. Authorization first. BinBench will not publish unauthorized SELinux allow-rule reconnaissance against foreign hosts.

Does this teach attack or SELinux-bypass PoCs via sesearch?

No. Mentions of attack/bypass/privilege-path appear only as refusals. Authorized literacy only — prefer lab VMs and redacted allow-rule excerpts. Never teach hostile allow-rule hunting as an attack step.

Does this teach secret theft via sesearch?

No. Never paste SELinux allow-rule dumps with secrets, foreign host policy excerpts, or credential-bearing contexts into notes. Prefer documenting source/target/class labels only.

Sources