insmod: ERROR: could not insert module HelloWorld.ko: Operation not permitted

Question

I am trying to learn linux and kernel development.

I am able to build the module but am unable to load it.

HelloWorld.c

/*  
 *  hello-1.c - The simplest kernel module.
 */
#include <linux/module.h>   /* Needed by all modules */
#include <linux/kernel.h>   /* Needed for KERN_INFO */

int init_module(void)
{
    printk(KERN_INFO "Hello world 1.\n");

    /* 
     * A non 0 return means init_module failed; module can't be loaded. 
     */
    return 0;
}

void cleanup_module(void)
{
    printk(KERN_INFO "Goodbye world 1.\n");
}

And here is my make file:

KERNEL_SOURCE := /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build
PWD := $(shell pwd)

obj-m += HelloWorld.o

all:
    make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) modules

clean:
    make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) clean

while doing insmod for loading the module permission is getting denied. I tried even doing it with root and also with modprobe, but no use.

I also tried Link but issue still the same.

Hope i get some help. I am using ubuntu 18.04LTS.

Maybe your module is not signed, while kernel have restrict policy for unsigned modules? — Alex Hoppus, Oct 24 '19 at 18:00
@Alex So you are saying i may need to somehow remove the policy restrictions? — kpk, Oct 25 '19 at 06:12
You should check https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.15/admin-guide/module-signing.html — Alex Hoppus, Oct 25 '19 at 06:55

score 6 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 12 '20 at 14:06

6

So I had the same problem and this worked for me:

You need to disable Secure Boot using mokutil use the first answer in this link
Run the insmod command via sudo.

Good Luck.

answered Feb 12 '20 at 14:06

YanBir

345
4
12

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 13 '22 at 21:48

If $ sudo insmod file_name.ko fails with mentioned error, then do dmesg | tail -1

and it will give idea of what exactly went wrong while installing kernel-module.

In my case it was because another module was overlapping on same /sys/class location.

After doing sudo rmmod <that_module.ko> I was able to load my new kernel module.

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 18 '23 at 12:02

If your kernel is locally build and locally signed with a generated signature,you could sign the module using same keys.

<kernel source>/scripts/sign-file sha512 MOK.priv MOK.pem module.ko

https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/v4.15/admin-guide/module-signing.html, https://github.com/jakeday/linux-surface/blob/3267e4ea1f318bb9716d6742d79162de8277dea2/SIGNING.md

score -1 · Answer 4 · edited Feb 04 '20 at 09:37

-1

First, make sure in makefile there is tab after all: and clean: not space then save it and run command make After that, insert the kernel by following command. $ sudo insmod file_name.ko Finally, display. $ dmesg | tail -1

edited Feb 04 '20 at 09:37

Jin Lee

3,194
12
46
86

answered Feb 04 '20 at 06:56

OMAR HASSAN

1
1

This response does not answer the question, though. – alan23273850 Jul 21 '21 at 10:18

insmod: ERROR: could not insert module HelloWorld.ko: Operation not permitted

4 Answers4

Linked