netdev - [PATCH 03/12] pfkey: Deprecate pfkey

lists.openwall.net		lists / announce owl-users owl-dev john-users john-dev passwdqc-users yescrypt popa3d-users / oss-security kernel-hardening musl sabotage tlsify passwords / crypt-dev xvendor / Bugtraq Full-Disclosure linux-kernel linux-netdev linux-ext4 linux-hardening linux-cve-announce PHC
Open Source and information security mailing list archives

Hash Suite: Windows password security audit tool. GUI, reports in PDF.

[<prev] [next>] [<thread-prev] [thread-next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

Message-ID: <20251118092610.2223552-4-steffen.klassert@secunet.com>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2025 10:25:40 +0100
From: Steffen Klassert <steffen.klassert@...unet.com>
To: David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>, Jakub Kicinski <kuba@...nel.org>
CC: Herbert Xu <herbert@...dor.apana.org.au>, Steffen Klassert
	<steffen.klassert@...unet.com>, <netdev@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: [PATCH 03/12] pfkey: Deprecate pfkey

The pfkey user configuration interface was replaced by the netlink
user configuration interface more than a decade ago. In between
all maintained IKE implementations moved to the netlink interface.
So let config NET_KEY default to no in Kconfig. The pfkey code
will be removed in a second step.

Signed-off-by: Steffen Klassert <steffen.klassert@...unet.com>
Reviewed-by: Sabrina Dubroca <sd@...asysnail.net>
Acked-by: Antony Antony <antony.antony@...unet.com>
Acked-by: Tobias Brunner <tobias@...ongswan.org>
Acked-by: Herbert Xu <herbert@...dor.apana.org.au>
Acked-by: Tuomo Soini <tis@...bar.fi>
Acked-by: Paul Wouters <paul@...ats.ca>
---
 net/key/af_key.c |  2 ++
 net/xfrm/Kconfig | 11 +++++++----
 2 files changed, 9 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/net/key/af_key.c b/net/key/af_key.c
index 2ebde0352245..571200433aa9 100644
--- a/net/key/af_key.c
+++ b/net/key/af_key.c
@@ -3903,6 +3903,8 @@ static int __init ipsec_pfkey_init(void)
 {
 	int err = proto_register(&key_proto, 0);
 
+	pr_warn_once("PFKEY is deprecated and scheduled to be removed in 2027, "
+	             "please contact the netdev mailing list\n");
 	if (err != 0)
 		goto out;
 
diff --git a/net/xfrm/Kconfig b/net/xfrm/Kconfig
index f0157702718f..4a62817a88f8 100644
--- a/net/xfrm/Kconfig
+++ b/net/xfrm/Kconfig
@@ -110,14 +110,17 @@ config XFRM_IPCOMP
 	select CRYPTO_DEFLATE
 
 config NET_KEY
-	tristate "PF_KEY sockets"
+	tristate "PF_KEY sockets (deprecated)"
 	select XFRM_ALGO
 	help
 	  PF_KEYv2 socket family, compatible to KAME ones.
-	  They are required if you are going to use IPsec tools ported
-	  from KAME.
 
-	  Say Y unless you know what you are doing.
+	  The PF_KEYv2 socket interface is deprecated and
+	  scheduled for removal. All maintained IKE daemons
+	  no longer need PF_KEY sockets. Please use the netlink
+	  interface (XFRM_USER) to configure IPsec.
+
+	  If unsure, say N.
 
 config NET_KEY_MIGRATE
 	bool "PF_KEY MIGRATE"
-- 
2.43.0