1SETCAP(8) System Manager's Manual SETCAP(8)
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6 setcap - set file capabilities
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9 setcap [-q] [-n <rootid>] [-v] {capabilities|-|-r} filename [ ... capa‐
10 bilitiesN fileN ]
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13 In the absence of the -v (verify) option setcap sets the capabilities
14 of each specified filename to the capabilities specified. The optional
15 -n <rootid> argument can be used to set the file capability for use
16 only in a namespace with this rootid owner. The -v option is used to
17 verify that the specified capabilities are currently associated with
18 the file. If -v and -n are supplied, the -n <rootid> argument is also
19 verified.
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21 The capabilities are specified in the form described in
22 cap_from_text(3).
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24 The special capability string, '-', can be used to indicate that capa‐
25 bilities are read from the standard input. In such cases, the capabil‐
26 ity set is terminated with a blank line.
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28 The special capability string, '-r', is used to remove a capability set
29 from a file. Note, setting an empty capability set is not the same as
30 removing it. An empty set can be used to guarantee a file is not exe‐
31 cuted with privilege inspite of the fact that the prevailing ambi‐
32 ent+inheritable sets would otherwise bestow capabilities on executed
33 binaries.
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35 The -q flag is used to make the program less verbose in its output.
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38 The setcap program will exit with a 0 exit code if successful. On fail‐
39 ure, the exit code is 1.
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42 cap_from_text(3), cap_set_file(3), getcap(8)
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46 11 September 2018 SETCAP(8)