How to Check and Disable SELinux on CentOS 6.3

Linux (SELinux) is a Linux feature that provides security mechanism for supporting access control security policies implemented in the kernel. SELinux checking for allowed operations after standard Linux discretionary access controls are checked. In this post i will shows on how to check SELinux status and disables SELinux on linux CentOS 6.3.

1. How to check SELinux on CentOS 6.3 ?

[root@centos63 ~]# sestatus
SELinux status:                 enabled
SELinuxfs mount:                /selinux
Current mode:                   enforcing
Mode from config file:          enforcing
Policy version:                 24
Policy from config file:        targeted

or

[root@centos63 ~]# getenforce
Enforcing

2. How to disable SELinux on CentOS 6.3 permanently ?

[root@centos63 ~]# cat /etc/selinux/config

# This file controls the state of SELinux on the system.
# SELINUX= can take one of these three values:
#     enforcing - SELinux security policy is enforced.
#     permissive - SELinux prints warnings instead of enforcing.
#     disabled - No SELinux policy is loaded.
SELINUX=enforcing
# SELINUXTYPE= can take one of these two values:
#     targeted - Targeted processes are protected,
#     mls - Multi Level Security protection.
SELINUXTYPE=targeted


or

[root@centos63 ~]# cat /etc/sysconfig/selinux

# This file controls the state of SELinux on the system.
# SELINUX= can take one of these three values:
#     enforcing - SELinux security policy is enforced.
#     permissive - SELinux prints warnings instead of enforcing.
#     disabled - No SELinux policy is loaded.
SELINUX=enforcing
# SELINUXTYPE= can take one of these two values:
#     targeted - Targeted processes are protected,
#     mls - Multi Level Security protection.
SELINUXTYPE=targeted


Change “SELINUX=enforcing” to “SELINUX=disabled” :

# This file controls the state of SELinux on the system.
# SELINUX= can take one of these three values:
#     enforcing - SELinux security policy is enforced.
#     permissive - SELinux prints warnings instead of enforcing.
#     disabled - No SELinux policy is loaded.
SELINUX=disabled
# SELINUXTYPE= can take one of these two values:
#     targeted - Targeted processes are protected,
#     mls - Multi Level Security protection.
SELINUXTYPE=targeted


Note : This will disable SELinux on your next reboot

[root@centos63 ~]# sestatus
SELinux status:                 disabled

3. How to disable SELinux on CentOS 6.3 immediately without reboot :

[root@centos63 ~]# setenforce 0

Check SELinux status :

[root@centos63 ~]# getenforce
Permissive