diff --git a/include/linux/key.h b/include/linux/key.h
index b99b40db08fc..0f2e24f13c2b 100644
--- a/include/linux/key.h
+++ b/include/linux/key.h
@@ -71,6 +71,23 @@ struct net;
 
 #define KEY_PERM_UNDEF	0xffffffff
 
+/*
+ * The permissions required on a key that we're looking up.
+ */
+enum key_need_perm {
+	KEY_NEED_UNSPECIFIED,	/* Needed permission unspecified */
+	KEY_NEED_VIEW,		/* Require permission to view attributes */
+	KEY_NEED_READ,		/* Require permission to read content */
+	KEY_NEED_WRITE,		/* Require permission to update / modify */
+	KEY_NEED_SEARCH,	/* Require permission to search (keyring) or find (key) */
+	KEY_NEED_LINK,		/* Require permission to link */
+	KEY_NEED_SETATTR,	/* Require permission to change attributes */
+	KEY_NEED_UNLINK,	/* Require permission to unlink key */
+	KEY_SYSADMIN_OVERRIDE,	/* Special: override by CAP_SYS_ADMIN */
+	KEY_AUTHTOKEN_OVERRIDE,	/* Special: override by possession of auth token */
+	KEY_DEFER_PERM_CHECK,	/* Special: permission check is deferred */
+};
+
 struct seq_file;
 struct user_struct;
 struct signal_struct;
@@ -420,20 +437,9 @@ static inline key_serial_t key_serial(const struct key *key)
 extern void key_set_timeout(struct key *, unsigned);
 
 extern key_ref_t lookup_user_key(key_serial_t id, unsigned long flags,
-				 key_perm_t perm);
+				 enum key_need_perm need_perm);
 extern void key_free_user_ns(struct user_namespace *);
 
-/*
- * The permissions required on a key that we're looking up.
- */
-#define	KEY_NEED_VIEW	0x01	/* Require permission to view attributes */
-#define	KEY_NEED_READ	0x02	/* Require permission to read content */
-#define	KEY_NEED_WRITE	0x04	/* Require permission to update / modify */
-#define	KEY_NEED_SEARCH	0x08	/* Require permission to search (keyring) or find (key) */
-#define	KEY_NEED_LINK	0x10	/* Require permission to link */
-#define	KEY_NEED_SETATTR 0x20	/* Require permission to change attributes */
-#define	KEY_NEED_ALL	0x3f	/* All the above permissions */
-
 static inline short key_read_state(const struct key *key)
 {
 	/* Barrier versus mark_key_instantiated(). */
diff --git a/include/linux/security.h b/include/linux/security.h
index e7914e4e0b02..57aac14e3418 100644
--- a/include/linux/security.h
+++ b/include/linux/security.h
@@ -1767,8 +1767,8 @@ static inline int security_path_chroot(const struct path *path)
 
 int security_key_alloc(struct key *key, const struct cred *cred, unsigned long flags);
 void security_key_free(struct key *key);
-int security_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref,
-			    const struct cred *cred, unsigned perm);
+int security_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref, const struct cred *cred,
+			    enum key_need_perm need_perm);
 int security_key_getsecurity(struct key *key, char **_buffer);
 
 #else
@@ -1786,7 +1786,7 @@ static inline void security_key_free(struct key *key)
 
 static inline int security_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref,
 					  const struct cred *cred,
-					  unsigned perm)
+					  enum key_need_perm need_perm)
 {
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/security/keys/internal.h b/security/keys/internal.h
index 28e17f4f3328..1fc17cb317a9 100644
--- a/security/keys/internal.h
+++ b/security/keys/internal.h
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ extern bool lookup_user_key_possessed(const struct key *key,
 				      const struct key_match_data *match_data);
 #define KEY_LOOKUP_CREATE	0x01
 #define KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL	0x02
-#define KEY_LOOKUP_FOR_UNLINK	0x04
 
 extern long join_session_keyring(const char *name);
 extern void key_change_session_keyring(struct callback_head *twork);
@@ -183,7 +182,7 @@ extern void key_gc_keytype(struct key_type *ktype);
 
 extern int key_task_permission(const key_ref_t key_ref,
 			       const struct cred *cred,
-			       key_perm_t perm);
+			       enum key_need_perm need_perm);
 
 static inline void notify_key(struct key *key,
 			      enum key_notification_subtype subtype, u32 aux)
@@ -205,9 +204,10 @@ static inline void notify_key(struct key *key,
 /*
  * Check to see whether permission is granted to use a key in the desired way.
  */
-static inline int key_permission(const key_ref_t key_ref, unsigned perm)
+static inline int key_permission(const key_ref_t key_ref,
+				 enum key_need_perm need_perm)
 {
-	return key_task_permission(key_ref, current_cred(), perm);
+	return key_task_permission(key_ref, current_cred(), need_perm);
 }
 
 extern struct key_type key_type_request_key_auth;
diff --git a/security/keys/keyctl.c b/security/keys/keyctl.c
index 7d8de1c9a478..6763ee45e04d 100644
--- a/security/keys/keyctl.c
+++ b/security/keys/keyctl.c
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ long keyctl_invalidate_key(key_serial_t id)
 
 		/* Root is permitted to invalidate certain special keys */
 		if (capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN)) {
-			key_ref = lookup_user_key(id, 0, 0);
+			key_ref = lookup_user_key(id, 0, KEY_SYSADMIN_OVERRIDE);
 			if (IS_ERR(key_ref))
 				goto error;
 			if (test_bit(KEY_FLAG_ROOT_CAN_INVAL,
@@ -479,7 +479,8 @@ long keyctl_keyring_clear(key_serial_t ringid)
 
 		/* Root is permitted to invalidate certain special keyrings */
 		if (capable(CAP_SYS_ADMIN)) {
-			keyring_ref = lookup_user_key(ringid, 0, 0);
+			keyring_ref = lookup_user_key(ringid, 0,
+						      KEY_SYSADMIN_OVERRIDE);
 			if (IS_ERR(keyring_ref))
 				goto error;
 			if (test_bit(KEY_FLAG_ROOT_CAN_CLEAR,
@@ -563,7 +564,7 @@ long keyctl_keyring_unlink(key_serial_t id, key_serial_t ringid)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	key_ref = lookup_user_key(id, KEY_LOOKUP_FOR_UNLINK, 0);
+	key_ref = lookup_user_key(id, KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL, KEY_NEED_UNLINK);
 	if (IS_ERR(key_ref)) {
 		ret = PTR_ERR(key_ref);
 		goto error2;
@@ -663,7 +664,7 @@ long keyctl_describe_key(key_serial_t keyid,
 				key_put(instkey);
 				key_ref = lookup_user_key(keyid,
 							  KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL,
-							  0);
+							  KEY_AUTHTOKEN_OVERRIDE);
 				if (!IS_ERR(key_ref))
 					goto okay;
 			}
@@ -833,7 +834,7 @@ long keyctl_read_key(key_serial_t keyid, char __user *buffer, size_t buflen)
 	size_t key_data_len;
 
 	/* find the key first */
-	key_ref = lookup_user_key(keyid, 0, 0);
+	key_ref = lookup_user_key(keyid, 0, KEY_DEFER_PERM_CHECK);
 	if (IS_ERR(key_ref)) {
 		ret = -ENOKEY;
 		goto out;
@@ -1471,7 +1472,7 @@ long keyctl_set_timeout(key_serial_t id, unsigned timeout)
 				key_put(instkey);
 				key_ref = lookup_user_key(id,
 							  KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL,
-							  0);
+							  KEY_AUTHTOKEN_OVERRIDE);
 				if (!IS_ERR(key_ref))
 					goto okay;
 			}
@@ -1579,7 +1580,8 @@ long keyctl_get_security(key_serial_t keyid,
 			return PTR_ERR(instkey);
 		key_put(instkey);
 
-		key_ref = lookup_user_key(keyid, KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL, 0);
+		key_ref = lookup_user_key(keyid, KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL,
+					  KEY_AUTHTOKEN_OVERRIDE);
 		if (IS_ERR(key_ref))
 			return PTR_ERR(key_ref);
 	}
diff --git a/security/keys/permission.c b/security/keys/permission.c
index 085f907b64ac..4a61f804e80f 100644
--- a/security/keys/permission.c
+++ b/security/keys/permission.c
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * key_task_permission - Check a key can be used
  * @key_ref: The key to check.
  * @cred: The credentials to use.
- * @perm: The permissions to check for.
+ * @need_perm: The permission required.
  *
  * Check to see whether permission is granted to use a key in the desired way,
  * but permit the security modules to override.
@@ -24,12 +24,30 @@
  * permissions bits or the LSM check.
  */
 int key_task_permission(const key_ref_t key_ref, const struct cred *cred,
-			unsigned perm)
+			enum key_need_perm need_perm)
 {
 	struct key *key;
-	key_perm_t kperm;
+	key_perm_t kperm, mask;
 	int ret;
 
+	switch (need_perm) {
+	default:
+		WARN_ON(1);
+		return -EACCES;
+	case KEY_NEED_UNLINK:
+	case KEY_SYSADMIN_OVERRIDE:
+	case KEY_AUTHTOKEN_OVERRIDE:
+	case KEY_DEFER_PERM_CHECK:
+		goto lsm;
+
+	case KEY_NEED_VIEW:	mask = KEY_OTH_VIEW;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_READ:	mask = KEY_OTH_READ;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_WRITE:	mask = KEY_OTH_WRITE;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_SEARCH:	mask = KEY_OTH_SEARCH;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_LINK:	mask = KEY_OTH_LINK;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_SETATTR:	mask = KEY_OTH_SETATTR;	break;
+	}
+
 	key = key_ref_to_ptr(key_ref);
 
 	/* use the second 8-bits of permissions for keys the caller owns */
@@ -64,13 +82,12 @@ int key_task_permission(const key_ref_t key_ref, const struct cred *cred,
 	if (is_key_possessed(key_ref))
 		kperm |= key->perm >> 24;
 
-	kperm = kperm & perm & KEY_NEED_ALL;
-
-	if (kperm != perm)
+	if ((kperm & mask) != mask)
 		return -EACCES;
 
 	/* let LSM be the final arbiter */
-	return security_key_permission(key_ref, cred, perm);
+lsm:
+	return security_key_permission(key_ref, cred, need_perm);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(key_task_permission);
 
diff --git a/security/keys/process_keys.c b/security/keys/process_keys.c
index 09541de31f2f..7e0232db1707 100644
--- a/security/keys/process_keys.c
+++ b/security/keys/process_keys.c
@@ -609,7 +609,7 @@ bool lookup_user_key_possessed(const struct key *key,
  * returned key reference.
  */
 key_ref_t lookup_user_key(key_serial_t id, unsigned long lflags,
-			  key_perm_t perm)
+			  enum key_need_perm need_perm)
 {
 	struct keyring_search_context ctx = {
 		.match_data.cmp		= lookup_user_key_possessed,
@@ -773,35 +773,33 @@ key_ref_t lookup_user_key(key_serial_t id, unsigned long lflags,
 
 	/* unlink does not use the nominated key in any way, so can skip all
 	 * the permission checks as it is only concerned with the keyring */
-	if (lflags & KEY_LOOKUP_FOR_UNLINK) {
-		ret = 0;
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	if (!(lflags & KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL)) {
-		ret = wait_for_key_construction(key, true);
-		switch (ret) {
-		case -ERESTARTSYS:
-			goto invalid_key;
-		default:
-			if (perm)
+	if (need_perm != KEY_NEED_UNLINK) {
+		if (!(lflags & KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL)) {
+			ret = wait_for_key_construction(key, true);
+			switch (ret) {
+			case -ERESTARTSYS:
+				goto invalid_key;
+			default:
+				if (need_perm != KEY_AUTHTOKEN_OVERRIDE &&
+				    need_perm != KEY_DEFER_PERM_CHECK)
+					goto invalid_key;
+			case 0:
+				break;
+			}
+		} else if (need_perm != KEY_DEFER_PERM_CHECK) {
+			ret = key_validate(key);
+			if (ret < 0)
 				goto invalid_key;
-		case 0:
-			break;
 		}
-	} else if (perm) {
-		ret = key_validate(key);
-		if (ret < 0)
+
+		ret = -EIO;
+		if (!(lflags & KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL) &&
+		    key_read_state(key) == KEY_IS_UNINSTANTIATED)
 			goto invalid_key;
 	}
 
-	ret = -EIO;
-	if (!(lflags & KEY_LOOKUP_PARTIAL) &&
-	    key_read_state(key) == KEY_IS_UNINSTANTIATED)
-		goto invalid_key;
-
 	/* check the permissions */
-	ret = key_task_permission(key_ref, ctx.cred, perm);
+	ret = key_task_permission(key_ref, ctx.cred, need_perm);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto invalid_key;
 
diff --git a/security/security.c b/security/security.c
index c73334ab2882..af32d4cd0462 100644
--- a/security/security.c
+++ b/security/security.c
@@ -2398,10 +2398,10 @@ void security_key_free(struct key *key)
 	call_void_hook(key_free, key);
 }
 
-int security_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref,
-			    const struct cred *cred, unsigned perm)
+int security_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref, const struct cred *cred,
+			    enum key_need_perm need_perm)
 {
-	return call_int_hook(key_permission, 0, key_ref, cred, perm);
+	return call_int_hook(key_permission, 0, key_ref, cred, need_perm);
 }
 
 int security_key_getsecurity(struct key *key, char **_buffer)
diff --git a/security/selinux/hooks.c b/security/selinux/hooks.c
index 0b4e32161b77..3ff6b6dfc5ca 100644
--- a/security/selinux/hooks.c
+++ b/security/selinux/hooks.c
@@ -6541,20 +6541,31 @@ static void selinux_key_free(struct key *k)
 
 static int selinux_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref,
 				  const struct cred *cred,
-				  unsigned perm)
+				  enum key_need_perm need_perm)
 {
 	struct key *key;
 	struct key_security_struct *ksec;
-	u32 sid;
+	u32 perm, sid;
 
-	/* if no specific permissions are requested, we skip the
-	   permission check. No serious, additional covert channels
-	   appear to be created. */
-	if (perm == 0)
+	switch (need_perm) {
+	case KEY_NEED_UNLINK:
+	case KEY_SYSADMIN_OVERRIDE:
+	case KEY_AUTHTOKEN_OVERRIDE:
+	case KEY_DEFER_PERM_CHECK:
 		return 0;
+	default:
+		WARN_ON(1);
+		return -EPERM;
 
-	sid = cred_sid(cred);
+	case KEY_NEED_VIEW:	perm = KEY__VIEW;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_READ:	perm = KEY__READ;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_WRITE:	perm = KEY__WRITE;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_SEARCH:	perm = KEY__SEARCH;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_LINK:	perm = KEY__LINK;	break;
+	case KEY_NEED_SETATTR:	perm = KEY__SETATTR;	break;
+	}
 
+	sid = cred_sid(cred);
 	key = key_ref_to_ptr(key_ref);
 	ksec = key->security;
 
diff --git a/security/smack/smack_lsm.c b/security/smack/smack_lsm.c
index 8c61d175e195..627ca7dc9b27 100644
--- a/security/smack/smack_lsm.c
+++ b/security/smack/smack_lsm.c
@@ -4230,13 +4230,14 @@ static void smack_key_free(struct key *key)
  * smack_key_permission - Smack access on a key
  * @key_ref: gets to the object
  * @cred: the credentials to use
- * @perm: requested key permissions
+ * @need_perm: requested key permission
  *
  * Return 0 if the task has read and write to the object,
  * an error code otherwise
  */
 static int smack_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref,
-				const struct cred *cred, unsigned perm)
+				const struct cred *cred,
+				enum key_need_perm need_perm)
 {
 	struct key *keyp;
 	struct smk_audit_info ad;
@@ -4247,8 +4248,26 @@ static int smack_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref,
 	/*
 	 * Validate requested permissions
 	 */
-	if (perm & ~KEY_NEED_ALL)
-		return -EINVAL;
+	switch (need_perm) {
+	default:
+		return -EACCES;
+	case KEY_NEED_UNSPECIFIED:
+	case KEY_NEED_UNLINK:
+	case KEY_SYSADMIN_OVERRIDE:
+	case KEY_AUTHTOKEN_OVERRIDE:
+	case KEY_DEFER_PERM_CHECK:
+		return 0;
+	case KEY_NEED_READ:
+	case KEY_NEED_SEARCH:
+	case KEY_NEED_VIEW:
+		request |= MAY_READ;
+		break;
+	case KEY_NEED_WRITE:
+	case KEY_NEED_LINK:
+	case KEY_NEED_SETATTR:
+		request |= MAY_WRITE;
+		break;
+	}
 
 	keyp = key_ref_to_ptr(key_ref);
 	if (keyp == NULL)
@@ -4273,10 +4292,6 @@ static int smack_key_permission(key_ref_t key_ref,
 	ad.a.u.key_struct.key = keyp->serial;
 	ad.a.u.key_struct.key_desc = keyp->description;
 #endif
-	if (perm & (KEY_NEED_READ | KEY_NEED_SEARCH | KEY_NEED_VIEW))
-		request |= MAY_READ;
-	if (perm & (KEY_NEED_WRITE | KEY_NEED_LINK | KEY_NEED_SETATTR))
-		request |= MAY_WRITE;
 	rc = smk_access(tkp, keyp->security, request, &ad);
 	rc = smk_bu_note("key access", tkp, keyp->security, request, rc);
 	return rc;
