Confined user mapped to SELinux sysadm_u, cannot run newaliases even after sudo'ing

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • When a user is running as SELinux role sysadm_r, it's not possible to update /etc/aliases.db by running newaliases.

    $ id -Z 
staff_u:staff_r:staff_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023
$ sudo id -Z
staff_u:sysadm_r:sysadm_t:s0-s0:c0.c1023
$ sudo newaliases
postalias: fatal: open /etc/aliases.db: Permission denied

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and later
  • confined user mapped to sysadm_u or transitioning to sysadm_r
  • newaliases
  • SELinux

  • /etc/sudoers

        %wheel ALL=(ALL) TYPE=sysadm_t ROLE=sysadm_r ALL

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