libcap
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Description:
User-space interfaces to POSIX 1003.1e capabilities
Type: Formula  |  Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Security
Tags: linux security capabilities privilege-management system-utilities
Install: brew install libcap
About:
Libcap provides a programming interface for Linux's file-based capability system, allowing fine-grained privilege management. It enables developers to grant specific privileges to processes without full root access, enhancing system security. The library includes tools for managing capabilities on executables and libraries.
Key Features:
  • Implementation of POSIX 1003.1e draft standard
  • getcap and setcap utilities for managing file capabilities
  • Programmatic API for capability state manipulation
  • Support for bounding, ambient, and inherited sets
Use Cases:
  • Hardening services by reducing root privilege scope
  • Developing security-sensitive applications with granular permissions
  • Auditing and configuring system capability states
Alternatives:
  • util-linux – Provides basic capability utilities, but libcap is the standard for full management
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Dec 5, 2024 2:14am 0 VERSION_BUMP 118ea858
Nov 12, 2024 4:34am 0 VERSION_BUMP 327b38a0
Oct 28, 2024 2:07pm 0 VERSION_BUMP efbe380e