CVE-2011-4099: The capsh program in libcap before 2.22 does not change the current working directory when the --chroot option

Q: How do I fix CVE-2011-4099?

libcap: upgrade to newer than 2.21. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2011-4099 being exploited?

CVE-2011-4099 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2011-4099 affect?

CVE-2011-4099 affects libcap. Severity is medium (CVSS 4.6). The capsh program in libcap before 2.22 does not change the current working directory when the --chroot option is specified, which allows local users to bypass the chroot restrictions via unspecified vectors.

Q: How urgent is CVE-2011-4099?

Priority 24/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Routine

MEDIUM 4.6UPGRADE

CVE-2011-4099 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 4.6) affecting libcap. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

The capsh program in libcap before 2.22 does not change the current working directory when the --chroot option is specified, which allows local users to bypass the chroot restrictions via unspecified vectors.

Why this priority

No elevated risk signals yet

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	4.6 (Medium)
EPSS exploit chance	0.4% (top 68%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-264
Published	2014-02-08
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): Red Hat, Inc. · Vendor: libcap

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2014-02-08 00:55 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 23:34 UTCUpdated Record last modified

libcap libcap UPGRADE

Affected: <= 2.21 · 2.00 · 2.01 · 2.02 · 2.03 · 2.04 · 2.05 · 2.06

Fixed in: newer than 2.21

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy libcap || rpm -q libcap || libcap --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 2.21 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade libcap

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade libcap

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2011-4099?

libcap: upgrade to newer than 2.21. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2011-4099 being exploited?

CVE-2011-4099 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2011-4099 affect?

CVE-2011-4099 affects libcap. Severity is medium (CVSS 4.6). The capsh program in libcap before 2.22 does not change the current working directory when the --chroot option is specified, which allows local users to bypass the chroot restrictions via unspecified vectors.

How urgent is CVE-2011-4099?

Priority 24/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Related CVEs

CVE-2026-4878 MEDIUM 6.7 MITIGATE DOWNGRADE A flaw was found in libcap
CVE-2023-2603 HIGH 7.8 UPGRADE MITIGATE A vulnerability was found in libcap
CVE-2023-2602 LOW 3.3 DOWNGRADE MITIGATE A vulnerability was found in the pthread_create() function in libcap

References

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