documentation_complete: true

title: SELinux

description: |-
    SELinux is a feature of the Linux kernel which can be
    used to guard against misconfigured or compromised programs.
    SELinux enforces the idea that programs should be limited in what
    files they can access and what actions they can take.
    <br /><br />
    The default SELinux policy, as configured on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, has been
    sufficiently developed and debugged that it should be usable on
    almost any Red Hat machine with minimal configuration and a small
    amount of system administrator training. This policy prevents
    system services - including most of the common network-visible
    services such as mail servers, FTP servers, and DNS servers - from
    accessing files which those services have no valid reason to
    access. This action alone prevents a huge amount of possible damage
    from network attacks against services, from trojaned software, and
    so forth.
    <br /><br />
    This guide recommends that SELinux be enabled using the
    default (targeted) policy on every Red Hat system, unless that
    system has unusual requirements which make a stronger policy
    appropriate.
