In an important development for the upcoming release of the Linux 6.6 kernel, a change has been made to the code base that removes any mention of the US National Security Agency (NSA) from options related to the inclusion of the SELinux enforcement system. SELinux, which was developed by the NSA and included in the Linux kernel in 2003, is currently used in various Linux distributions such as Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
Rumors about the possible introduction of backdoors in SELinux had led to speculations about its trustworthiness. However, it is worth mentioning that the implementation of SELinux has undergone multiple checks and independent audits, deterring any concerns about its security.
The technology has been developed for the past 20 years with extensive involvement from the community. It is no longer perceived as a development controlled by the NSA due to the collaborative efforts of the community. As part of this shift, the project has decided to use the name “SELinux” instead of “NSA SELinux” in comments and documentation in KCONFIG.
This change is a significant step towards strengthening the trust and confidence in the SELinux system and reinforces the community’s commitment to security and transparency.