Linux 7.2 Expected To Introduce "OPENAT2_REGULAR" To Avoid Tricking Secure Programs
Linux 7.2 is set to introduce the OPENAT2_REGULAR flag to enhance security for programs. This flag ensures that only regular files can be opened, preventing potential tricks involving special device files. The feature is expected to be included in the upcoming merge window in mid-June 2026.
- ▪The OPENAT2_REGULAR flag is designed to help secure programs by only allowing the opening of regular files.
- ▪If a non-regular file is specified, the system will return an EFTYPE error code.
- ▪This feature was requested by the uapi-group to avoid issues with device nodes that have special semantics.
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| Original publisher | Phoronix |
| Canonical URL | https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.2-OPENAT2_REGULAR |
| Publication time | Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:00 -0400 |
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Linux 7.2 Expected To Introduce "OPENAT2_REGULAR" To Avoid Tricking Secure Programs Written by Michael Larabel in Linux Storage on 18 May 2026 at 02:00 PM EDT. Add A Comment Among the VFS patches queued into "-next" branches ahead of next month's Linux 7.2 merge window is the code for introducing the new OPENAT2_REGULAR flag for the openat2 system call. While "OPENAT2_REGULAR" may not sound too exciting, this new flag is important for helping secure programs from being tricked. What this flag does when passed is to only open the specified file if it's a regular file and not a special device file or other non-conventional file on the file-system.
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