uutils/coreutils · error · uucore::error::Error

Modifying root path

Error message

Modifying root path

What it means

Error "Modifying root path" thrown in uutils/coreutils.

Solutions

1. Run chcon with sufficient privileges (root or appropriate SELinux permissions) when modifying the root path.
2. Avoid changing contexts on / unless explicitly intended; target the correct path.

When it happens

Trigger: Occurs when chcon fails to modify the security context of the root path of a recursive operation.

Common situations: Insufficient privileges or SELinux policy denying the context change on the top-level path.

AI-assisted analysis of uutils/coreutils@0b77ced485 (2026-08-19). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a8d54506ccef627d. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/uu/chcon/src/chcon.rs:557

            ));
        };

        let mut result = Ok(());

        match entry.flags() {
            fts_sys::FTS_D if options.recursive_mode.is_recursive() => {
                if root_dev_ino_check(root_dev_ino, file_dev_ino) {
                    // This happens e.g., with "chcon -R --preserve-root ... /"
                    // and with "chcon -RH --preserve-root ... symlink-to-root".
                    root_dev_ino_warn(&file_full_name);

                    // Tell fts not to traverse into this hierarchy.
                    let _ignored = fts.set(fts_sys::FTS_SKIP);

                    // Ensure that we do not process "/" on the second visit.
                    let _ignored = fts.read_next_entry();

                    return Err(err(
                        translate!("chcon-op-modifying-root-path"),
                        io::ErrorKind::PermissionDenied,
                    ));
                }

                return Ok(());
            }

            fts_sys::FTS_DP if !options.recursive_mode.is_recursive() => {
                return Ok(());
            }

            fts_sys::FTS_NS => {
                // For a top-level file or directory, this FTS_NS (stat failed) indicator is determined
                // at the time of the initial fts_open call. With programs like chmod, chown, and chgrp,
                // that modify permissions, it is possible that the file in question is accessible when
                // control reaches this point. So, if this is the first time we've seen the FTS_NS for
                // this file, tell fts_read to stat it "again".

View on GitHub (pinned to 0b77ced485)