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CVE-2026-4878

Libcap: libcap: privilege escalation via toctou race condition in cap_set_file()

Published: Apr 9, 2026Updated: Sep 9, 2026 Sources: CVE List NVDCWE-367
6.7MEDIUM
NVD MITRE
EPSS Score
0.2%
Top 89.6%
CISA KEV
Not in KEV
Exploits
No Known Exploits
Remediation
Patch Available
Self-Check
OpenVAS

Description

A flaw was found in libcap. A local unprivileged user can exploit a Time-of-check-to-time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition in the `cap_set_file()` function. This allows an attacker with write access to a parent directory to redirect file capability updates to an attacker-controlled file. By doing so, capabilities can be injected into or stripped from unintended executables, leading to privilege escalation.

No summary for this CVE yet.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:LAC:HPR:LUI:RS:UC:HI:HA:H
Exploitability
AV:LAttack Vector
Local
AC:HAttack Complexity
High
PR:LPrivileges Required
Low
UI:RUser Interaction
Required
Scope
S:UScope
Unchanged
Impact
C:HConfidentiality
High
I:HIntegrity
High
A:HAvailability
High
Open in CVSS calculator →

Weaknesses

CWE-367

Affected Products

Red Hat
commercial·USaka redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update SupportOn-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update SupportOn-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-OnOn-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update ServiceOn-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP SolutionsOn-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP SolutionsOn-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Extended Update SupportOn-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
libcap project
oss-projectaka libcap
libcapLibrary
OSS Libraries / generic-library
and 24 more affected products View all →

Exploitability

Official Patch Available
Workaround Available
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Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

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MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique
Privilege Escalation
View detailed technique mapping

References

https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:12423
access.redhat.com
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:12441
access.redhat.com
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:13285
access.redhat.com
and 39 more references View all →

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