CAPGET(2) Linux Programmer's Manual CAPGET(2)
NAME
capget, capset - set(7,n,1 builtins)/get process capabilities
SYNOPSIS
#undef _POSIX_SOURCE
#include <sys/capability.h>
int capget(cap_user_header_t hdrp, cap_user_data_t datap);
int capset(cap_user_header_t hdrp, const cap_user_data_t datap);
DESCRIPTION
As of Linux 2.2, the power of the superuser (root) has been partitioned
into a set(7,n,1 builtins) of discrete capabilities. Every process has a set(7,n,1 builtins) of effec-
tive capabilities identifying which capabilities (if(3,n) any) it may cur-
rently exercise. Every process also has a set(7,n,1 builtins) of inheritable capabili-
ties that may be passed through an execve(2) call, and a set(7,n,1 builtins) of permit-
ted capabilities that it can make effective or inheritable.
These two functions are the raw(3x,7,8,3x cbreak) kernel interface for getting and set-
ting capabilities. Not only are these system calls specific to Linux,
but the kernel API is likely to change and use of these functions (in(1,8)
particular the format of the cap_user_*_t types) is subject to change
with each kernel revision.
The portable interfaces are cap_set_proc(3) and cap_get_proc(3); if(3,n)
possible you should use those interfaces in(1,8) applications. If you wish
to use the Linux extensions in(1,8) applications, you should use the easier-
to-use interfaces capsetp(3) and capgetp(3).
Current details
Now that you have been warned, some current kernel details. The
structs are defined as follows.
#define _LINUX_CAPABILITY_VERSION 0x19980330
typedef struct __user_cap_header_struct {
int version(1,3,5);
int pid;
} *cap_user_header_t;
typedef struct __user_cap_data_struct {
int effective;
int permitted;
int inheritable;
} *cap_user_data_t;
The calls will return EINVAL, and set(7,n,1 builtins) the version(1,3,5) field of hdr to
_LINUX_CAPABILITY_VERSION when another version(1,3,5) was specified.
The calls refer to the capabilities of the process indicated by the pid
field of hdr when that is nonzero, or to the current process otherwise.
For details on the data, see capabilities(7).
RETURN VALUE
On success, zero is returned. On error(8,n), -1 is returned, and errno is
set(7,n,1 builtins) appropriately.
ERRORS
EFAULT Bad memory address. Neither of hdrp and datap may be NULL.
EINVAL One of the arguments was invalid.
EPERM An attempt was made to add a capability to the Permitted set(7,n,1 builtins), or
to set(7,n,1 builtins) a capability in(1,8) the Effective or Inheritable sets that is
not in(1,8) the Permitted set.
EPERM The calling process attempted to use capset() to modify the
capabilities of a process other than itself, but lacked suffi-
cient privilege; the CAP_SETPCAP capability is required.
ESRCH No such process.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The portable interface to the capability querying and setting functions
is provided by the libcap library and is available from here:
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/libs/security/linux-privs
SEE ALSO
capabilities(7)
Linux 2.6.6 2004-06-21 CAPGET(2)