# \[PATCH\] colons are invalid characters in netdev names

- From: Matthew Thode \<hidden\>
- Date: 2015-02-17 23:22:20 
- List: netdev
- Page: https://ratatoskr.run/netdev/2015/02/4432880
- Thread: https://ratatoskr.run/netdev/2015/02/4432880/t.md

```text
colons are used as a separator in netdev device lookup in dev_ioctl.c

Specific functions are SIOCGIFTXQLEN SIOCETHTOOL SIOCSIFNAME

Signed-off-by: Matthew Thode <redacted>
---
 net/core/dev.c | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index d030575..e9b6d5a 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ bool dev_valid_name(const char *name)
 		return false;
 	if (strlen(name) >= IFNAMSIZ)
 		return false;
-	if (!strcmp(name, ".") || !strcmp(name, ".."))
+	if (!strcmp(name, ".") || !strcmp(name, "..") || !strcmp(name, ":"))
 		return false;
 
 	while (*name) {
-- 
2.0.5
```