NAME

       setcap - set file capabilities

SYNOPSIS

       setcap [-q] [-n <rootuid>] [-v] {capabilities|-|-r} filename [ ... capabilitiesN fileN ]

DESCRIPTION

       In  the  absence  of the -v (verify) option setcap sets the capabilities of each specified
       filename to the capabilities specified.  The optional -n <rootuid> argument can be used to
       set the file capability for use only in a user namespace with this root user ID owner. The
       -v option is used to verify that the specified capabilities are currently associated  with
       the file. If -v and -n are supplied, the -n <rootuid> argument is also verified.

       The capabilities are specified in the form described in cap_from_text(3).

       The  special  capability  string,  '-', can be used to indicate that capabilities are read
       from the standard input. In such cases, the capability set  is  terminated  with  a  blank
       line.

       The special capability string, '-r', is used to remove a capability set from a file. Note,
       setting an empty capability set is not the same as removing it. An empty set can  be  used
       to  guarantee  a  file  is  not  executed  with  privilege  in  spite of the fact that the
       prevailing ambient+inheritable  sets  would  otherwise  bestow  capabilities  on  executed
       binaries.

       The -q flag is used to make the program less verbose in its output.

EXIT CODE

       The  setcap  program will exit with a 0 exit code if successful. On failure, the exit code
       is 1.

REPORTING BUGS

       Please report bugs via:

       https://bugzilla.kernel.org/buglist.cgi?component=libcap&list_id=1090757

SEE ALSO

       capsh(1),   cap_from_text(3),   cap_get_file(3),   capabilities(7),    user_namespaces(7),
       captree(8), getcap(8) and getpcaps(8).

                                            2020-08-29                                  SETCAP(8)