NAME

       chroot - change root directory

SYNOPSIS

       #include <unistd.h>

       int chroot(const char *path);

   Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see feature_test_macros(7)):

       chroot():
           Since glibc 2.2.2:
               _BSD_SOURCE ||
                   (_XOPEN_SOURCE >= 500 ||
                       _XOPEN_SOURCE && _XOPEN_SOURCE_EXTENDED) &&
                   !(_POSIX_C_SOURCE >= 200112L || _XOPEN_SOURCE >= 600)
           Before glibc 2.2.2: none

DESCRIPTION

       chroot()  changes  the  root  directory of the calling process to that specified in path.  This directory
       will be used for pathnames beginning with /.  The root directory is inherited  by  all  children  of  the
       calling process.

       Only a privileged process (Linux: one with the CAP_SYS_CHROOT capability) may call chroot().

       This call changes an ingredient in the pathname resolution process and does nothing else.

       This  call  does  not change the current working directory, so that after the call '.' can be outside the
       tree rooted at '/'.  In particular, the superuser can escape from a "chroot jail" by doing:

           mkdir foo; chroot foo; cd ..

       This call does not close open file descriptors, and such file  descriptors  may  allow  access  to  files
       outside the chroot tree.

RETURN VALUE

       On success, zero is returned.  On error, -1 is returned, and errno is set appropriately.

ERRORS

       Depending on the filesystem, other errors can be returned.  The more general errors are listed below:

       EACCES Search permission is denied on a component of the path prefix.  (See also path_resolution(7).)

       EFAULT path points outside your accessible address space.

       EIO    An I/O error occurred.

       ELOOP  Too many symbolic links were encountered in resolving path.

       ENAMETOOLONG
              path is too long.

       ENOENT The file does not exist.

       ENOMEM Insufficient kernel memory was available.

       ENOTDIR
              A component of path is not a directory.

       EPERM  The caller has insufficient privilege.

CONFORMING TO

       SVr4, 4.4BSD, SUSv2 (marked LEGACY).  This function is not part of POSIX.1-2001.

NOTES

       A  child  process  created  via fork(2) inherits its parent's root directory.  The root directory is left
       unchanged by execve(2).

       FreeBSD has a stronger jail() system call.

SEE ALSO

       chdir(2), path_resolution(7)

COLOPHON

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