CVE-2026-4878

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

HIGH
7
CVSS Score
Published: April 9, 2026 at 02:49 PM UTC
Updated: October 14, 2026 at 08:17 PM UTC
3 products affected across 2 vendorsEnterprise LinuxOpenShift Container PlatformLibcap

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Severity
HIGH7
Exploit prediction
EPSS 0.2%
SSVC
No known exploit

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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.48-10.el9_7.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.48-10.el9_8.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.48-4.el8_6.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.48-5.el8_8.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.48-6.el8_10.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.48-9.el9_2.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.48-9.el9_4.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.48-9.el9_6.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.69-7.el10_0.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.69-7.el10_1.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 0:2.69-7.el10_2.1 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 6 (unknown)
Vendor states this is fixed in 7 (unknown)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4.19.9.6.202606031700-0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 412.86.202608241157-0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 413.92.202606160406-0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 414.92.202606231112-0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 415.92.202606030318-0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 416.94.202606051757-0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 417.94.202606250942-0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 418.94.202606051320-0 (unaffected)
Vendor states this is fixed in 4 (unknown)

References (51)

VDB Entryx_refsource_REDHATVendor Advisory
Source: cverecord
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-4878
Permissions Required
Source: cverecord
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2447554
Issue Trackingx_refsource_REDHATVendor Advisory
Source: cverecord
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2451615
Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/07/14
Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/07/4
Mailing ListThird Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/08/9
ExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/09/5
ExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory
Source: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/09/6

SSVC — Action Prioritization

SSVCNo known exploitNot automatableTotal impact

SSVC signals action urgency (what to patch first), separate from CVSS which measures severity.

CVSS

Attack Vector
LOCAL
Complexity
HIGH
Privileges
LOW
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
HIGH
Integrity
HIGH
Availability
HIGH
Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED
CWE
CWE-367

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