SElinux: How to change to permissive mode without a reboot?

Question

I need to change selinux to "permissive mode" on a production server without a reboot, but setenforce wont let me do it(as a root), it always prints "setenforce: SELinux is disabled" What i'm doing wrong?

[root@server3 ~]# setenforce 0
setenforce: SELinux is disabled
[root@server3 ~]# setenforce 1
setenforce: SELinux is disabled
[root@server3 ~]# setenforce Permissive
setenforce: SELinux is disabled
[root@server3 ~]# getenforce
Disabled

Might have something to do with SELinux hooking into the kernel? Sounds plausible to me, perhaps someone will know for sure. — SpacemanSpiff, Mar 20 '12 at 05:42
If selinux is disabled at boot the machine will have to be reoboted in order to enable it again. — Matthew Ife, Mar 22 '12 at 15:45

score 8 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 19 '12 at 23:09

8

setenforce can only be used to change the mode SELinux is running in. It cannot be used to enable SELinux.

answered Mar 19 '12 at 23:09

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams

45,939
6
79
84

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 23 '14 at 10:16

4

So, SELinux must first be enabled as follow:

sudo nano /etc/selinux/config

then change

SELINUX=disabled

into

SELINUX=permissive

and reboot.

After reboot, you should have

# getenforce
Permissive

answered Oct 23 '14 at 10:16

TerDale

189
1
7

4

Notice the Q states w/o a reboot. – slm Sep 02 '15 at 20:10

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 01 '20 at 15:24

1

setenforce 0 (Does not require reboot) and then check sestatus

answered Jun 01 '20 at 15:24

Jignesh Rawal

111
2

SElinux: How to change to permissive mode without a reboot?

3 Answers3