[PATCH 07/14] xattr: add xattr_permission_error()

From: Christian Brauner

Date: Mon Feb 16 2026 - 08:37:16 EST


Stop repeating the ?: in multiple places and use a simple helper for
this.

Signed-off-by: Christian Brauner <brauner@xxxxxxxxxx>
---
fs/xattr.c | 11 +++++++++--
1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/fs/xattr.c b/fs/xattr.c
index 64803097e1dc..c4db8663c32e 100644
--- a/fs/xattr.c
+++ b/fs/xattr.c
@@ -106,6 +106,13 @@ int may_write_xattr(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *inode)
return 0;
}

+static inline int xattr_permission_error(int mask)
+{
+ if (mask & MAY_WRITE)
+ return -EPERM;
+ return -ENODATA;
+}
+
/*
* Check permissions for extended attribute access. This is a bit complicated
* because different namespaces have very different rules.
@@ -135,7 +142,7 @@ xattr_permission(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *inode,
*/
if (!strncmp(name, XATTR_TRUSTED_PREFIX, XATTR_TRUSTED_PREFIX_LEN)) {
if (!capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
- return (mask & MAY_WRITE) ? -EPERM : -ENODATA;
+ return xattr_permission_error(mask);
return 0;
}

@@ -146,7 +153,7 @@ xattr_permission(struct mnt_idmap *idmap, struct inode *inode,
*/
if (!strncmp(name, XATTR_USER_PREFIX, XATTR_USER_PREFIX_LEN)) {
if (!S_ISREG(inode->i_mode) && !S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode))
- return (mask & MAY_WRITE) ? -EPERM : -ENODATA;
+ return xattr_permission_error(mask);
if (S_ISDIR(inode->i_mode) && (inode->i_mode & S_ISVTX) &&
(mask & MAY_WRITE) &&
!inode_owner_or_capable(idmap, inode))

--
2.47.3