---
name: "PR_SET_DUMPABLE"
section: "2const"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/PR_SET_DUMPABLE"
---

# PR\_SET\_DUMPABLE(2const)

set the "dumpable" attribute of the calling process

## NAME

PR\_SET\_DUMPABLE - set the "dumpable" attribute of the calling process

## LIBRARY

Standard C library (*libc*, *-lc*)

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <linux/prctl.h>  /* Definition of PR_* constants */
#include <sys/prctl.h>
```

**int prctl(PR\_SET\_DUMPABLE, long** *dumpable***);**

## DESCRIPTION

Set the state of the "dumpable" attribute, which determines whether core dumps are produced for the calling process upon delivery of a signal whose default behavior is to produce a core dump.

*dumpable* must be either **0L** (**SUID\_DUMP\_DISABLE**, process is not dumpable) or **1L** (**SUID\_DUMP\_USER**, process is dumpable).

Normally, the "dumpable" attribute is set to 1. However, it is reset to the current value contained in the file */proc/sys/fs/suid\_dumpable* (which by default has the value 0), in the following circumstances:

- •

  The process's effective user or group ID is changed.

- •

  The process's filesystem user or group ID is changed (see [**credentials**(7)](/credentials/7.md)).

- •

  The process executes ([**execve**(2)](/execve/2.md)) a set-user-ID or set-group-ID program, resulting in a change of either the effective user ID or the effective group ID.

- •

  The process executes ([**execve**(2)](/execve/2.md)) a program that has file capabilities (see [**capabilities**(7)](/capabilities/7.md)), but only if the permitted capabilities gained exceed those already permitted for the process.

Processes that are not dumpable can not be attached via [**ptrace**(2)](/ptrace/2.md) **PTRACE\_ATTACH**; see [**ptrace**(2)](/ptrace/2.md) for further details.

If a process is not dumpable, the ownership of files in the process's */proc/*pid directory is affected as described in [**proc\_pid**(5)](/proc_pid/5.md).

## RETURN VALUE

On success, 0 is returned. On error, -1 is returned, and *errno* is set to indicate the error.

## ERRORS

- **EINVAL**

  *arg2* is neither **SUID\_DUMP\_DISABLE** nor **SUID\_DUMP\_USER**.

## FILES

- */proc/sys/fs/suid\_dumpable*

  - */proc/*pid*/*

  ## STANDARDS

Linux.

## HISTORY

Linux 2.3.20.

Between Linux 2.6.13 and Linux 2.6.17, the value **2L** was also permitted, which caused any binary which normally would not be dumped to be dumped readable by root only; for security reasons, this feature has been removed. (See also the description of */proc/sys/fs/suid\_dumpable* in [**proc\_sys\_fs**(5)](/proc_sys_fs/5.md).)

## SEE ALSO

[**prctl**(2)](/prctl/2.md), [**PR\_SET\_DUMPABLE**(2const)](/PR_SET_DUMPABLE/2const.md)