---
name: "chcat"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "policycoreutils-python-utils"
version: "3.8.1-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/chcat"
---

# chcat(8)

change SELinux security categories of files/users

## NAME

chcat - change SELinux security categories of files/users

## SYNOPSIS

**chcat** *category file*...\
 **chcat -l** *category user*...\
 **chcat** *\[\[+\|-\]category...\]  file*...\
 **chcat -l** *\[\[+\|-\]category...\]  user*...\
 **chcat** \[*-d*\] *file*...\
 **chcat -l** \[*-d*\] *user*...\
 **chcat** *-L* \[ -l \] \[ user ... \]\

## DESCRIPTION

Use +/- to add/remove categories from a *file* or *user* (only a single category can be specified at a time). Or specify the desired list/range of categories to be applied (replacing the existing categories).

**Note:** When removing a category you must specify '--' on the command line before using the -Category syntax. This tells the command that you have finished entering options and are now specifying a category name instead.

- **-d**

  delete all categories from given FILE/USER.

- **-L**

  list available categories.

- **-l**

  Tells chcat to operate on users instead of files.

## EXAMPLE

```
Replace categories of user "test" with c0.c6
# chcat -l c0.c6 test
Add category c1023 to user "test"
# chcat -l +c1023 test
Remove category c5 from file "file"
# chcat -- -c5 file
Remove all categories from file "file"
# chcat -d file
```

## SEE ALSO

- [chcon(1)](/chcon/1.md), [selinux(8)](/selinux/8.md), [semanage(8)](/semanage/8.md)

  When operating on files this script wraps the chcon command.

## FILES

/etc/selinux/{SELINUXTYPE}/setrans.conf \
 /etc/selinux/{SELINUXTYPE}/seusers