---
name: "paxrat"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "paxrat"
version: "1.0-3+b1"
release: "Debian 9 (Stretch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/paxrat"
---

# paxrat(1)

utility to set PaX flags on a set of binaries.

## NAME

paxrat - utility to set PaX flags on a set of binaries.

## DESCRIPTION

paxrat was developed for Subgraph OS to maintain the PaX flags while running in installed and live mode. It should also work out of the box on other Debian-based operating systems. Other Linux variants have not been tested but in theory it should also work provided the paths in the config file are correct (as well as the hard-coded path to the `paxctl` binary).

## USE CASES

paxrat is designed to address a number of use cases currently not supported by other utilities with a similar purpose.

It supports the following use cases:

- 1\.

  Running in file-systems that support extended file attributes as well as those that don't (such as SquashFS in a live disc or docker container)

- 2\.

  Runnable as a hook to a package manager such as dpkg

- 3\.

  Runnable in inotify-based watcher mode to set flags when files have changed such as during system updates (similar to *paxctld*)

- 4\.

  Setting flags on a batch of binaries or just one

## CONFIGURATION

paxrat configuration is provided via a JSON file that lists each binary, the PaX flags, and a `nonroot` setting to specify whether the target binary is not root-owned (paxrat will not set PaX flags on non-root owned binaries unless this is set to `true`). By default paxrat will look for binary divertions using `dpkg-divert`, this can be disabled by using the `nodivert` setting.

## CONFIGURATION EXAMPLE

The following is an example configuration:

```
{
  "/usr/lib/iceweasel/iceweasel": {
    "flags": "pm"
  },
  "/usr/lib/iceweasel/plugin-container": {
    "flags": "m"
  },
  "/home/user/.local/share/torbrowser/tbb/x86_64/tor-browser_en-US/Browser/firefox": {
    "flags": "pm",
    "nonroot": true
  }
}
```

## USAGE

Some usage examples:

- •

  Set flags on a single binary

```
$ sudo paxrat -s pm -b /usr/lib/iceweasel/iceweasel
```

- •

  Set all flags from a config file

```
$ sudo paxrat -c paxrat.conf
```

- •

  Test to make sure the provided config file is valid

```
$ sudo paxrat -c paxrat.conf -t
```

- •

  Run in watcher mode

```
$ sudo paxrat -c paxrat.conf -w
```