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KERN_INVALID_SECURITY
Not a generic access-denied result
KERN_INVALID_SECURITY is a specific Mach capability error. XNU defines it for a request that needs a host security port but receives another argument. The issue is the identity and authority of the supplied port, not merely a missing user permission bit.
This differs from KERN_DENIED, which represents a policy denial after the request reaches the applicable security decision. Here, the operation lacks the required security interface before that decision can be made.
What to inspect
- Log the API boundary where the security port was expected and the object actually provided.
- Distinguish host, host-privileged, host-security, task, and service ports in wrapper types and diagnostics.
- Review whether a privilege-brokering service intentionally withheld the required capability.
- Do not substitute a port by numeric value or assume that a valid host port grants host-security authority.
References
- Apple XNU: kern_return.h
- Apple Kernel Programming Guide: Mach ports and rights
- Apple Developer Documentation: Mach interface collection
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