paccapability

List all available capabilities

$ paccapability

$ paccapability [nls|downloader|signatures]

$ paccapability --help

$ paccapability --version

paccapability [OPTION...] {<package_name> | <executable_path>}

-p, --package <name>
    Specifies the name of an Arch Linux package to query its binaries for capabilities.

-f, --file <path>
    Specifies the full path to an executable file to query its capabilities directly.

-l, --list
    Lists all capabilities found for the specified target (package or file).

-v, --verbose
    Increases verbosity, showing more detailed information about capabilities and associated files.

-h, --help
    Displays a help message and exits.

-V, --version
    Displays version information and exits.

The command paccapability is a hypothetical tool designed to inspect and manage Linux capabilities associated with executables provided by packages, particularly within the Arch Linux ecosystem (hence the 'pac' prefix). Linux capabilities are a security feature that allows fine-grained control over process privileges, breaking down the traditional root/non-root dichotomy. Instead of granting full root access, a process can be granted only specific capabilities (e.g., CAP_NET_RAW for raw socket access).

If it existed, paccapability would enable system administrators and security auditors to:
- Query the capabilities set on binary files installed by specific packages.
- Identify packages whose executables have elevated capabilities, potentially flagging security risks.
- Understand the privilege requirements of applications within the Arch Linux environment.

This command would bridge the gap between package management and Linux capability management, offering insights into the security posture of installed software.

It is crucial to note that paccapability is a hypothetical command and does not exist as a standard tool in any current Linux distribution, including Arch Linux. The descriptions provided are based on an inference of its name ('pac' for package, 'capability' for Linux capabilities).

Managing Linux capabilities requires a deep understanding of system security. Incorrectly setting or modifying capabilities can lead to significant security vulnerabilities or system instability. Real-world capability management is typically handled by tools like setcap(8) and getcap(8) on specific file paths, or via service manager configurations.

If implemented, paccapability would be invaluable for security auditing. It could help identify executables shipped by packages that carry unnecessary or excessive capabilities, which could be exploited in supply chain attacks or privilege escalation scenarios. By providing an overview of package-specific capabilities, it would empower administrators to make informed decisions about software trust and system hardening.

A real-world implementation would likely require deep integration with pacman's database to query file lists associated with packages. It might also need to interact with package metadata to understand developer-intended capabilities, although direct capability setting is usually a post-installation step or handled by the distribution's packaging policies rather than the package manager itself.

As a hypothetical command, paccapability has no actual development history. Its conceptualization arises from the potential need to integrate Linux capability auditing with package management systems like Arch Linux's pacman, offering a unified view of package-related privileges.

capsh(1), getcap(8), setcap(8), pacman(8)