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 products
libcap_project: libcap; redhat: openshift container platform; redhat: enterprise linux
References10
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:7473 Vendor Advisory
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-4878 Vendor Advisory
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2451615 Issue TrackingVendor Advisory
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:7473 Vendor Advisory
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2026-4878 Vendor Advisory
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2451615 Issue TrackingVendor Advisory
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/09/5 ExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/04/09/6 ExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:12423
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2026:12441
Metrics
- CVSS 3.1
-
7.0
HIGH
Score source: NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - EPSS — exploit probability
- 0% percentile: 11 · as of 12 November 2026
- CWE
- CWE-367
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