RUNCON(1) User Commands RUNCON(1)

# [NAME](#NAME)

runcon - run command with specified security context

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

**runcon** \[*CONTEXT COMMAND* \[*ARG*]...]  
**runcon** \[*-c*] \[*-u USER*] \[*-r ROLE*] \[*-t TYPE*] \[*-l RANGE*] *COMMAND* \[*ARG*]...

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

Run COMMAND with completely-specified CONTEXT, or with current or transitioned security context modified by one or more of LEVEL, ROLE, TYPE, and USER.

If none of *-c*, *-t*, *-u*, *-r*, or *-l*, is specified, the first argument is used as the complete context. Any additional arguments after *COMMAND* are interpreted as arguments to the command.

Only carefully-chosen contexts are likely to run successfully.

Run a program in a different SELinux security context. With neither CONTEXT nor COMMAND, print the current security context.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options too.

[CONTEXT](#CONTEXT)

Complete security context

[**-c, --compute**](#c,)

compute process transition context before modifying

[**-t, --type=TYPE**](#t,)

type (for same role as parent)

[**-u, --user=USER**](#u,)

user identity

[**-r, --role=ROLE**](#r,)

role

[**-l, --range=RANGE**](#l,)

levelrange

[**--help**](#help)

display this help and exit

[**--version**](#version)

output version information and exit

## [Exit status:](#Exit_status:)

125

if the runcon command itself fails

126

if COMMAND is found but cannot be invoked

127

if COMMAND cannot be found

\-

the exit status of COMMAND otherwise

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Written by Russell Coker.

# [REPORTING BUGS](#REPORTING_BUGS)

Report bugs to: <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.  
Report any translation bugs to: <https://translationproject.org/team/>.  
GNU coreutils home page: <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/>  
General help using GNU software: <https://www.gnu.org/gethelp/>

# [COPYRIGHT](#COPYRIGHT)

Copyright © 2026 Free Software Foundation, Inc. License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <https://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>.  
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

Full documentation <https://www.gnu.org/software/coreutils/runcon>  
or available locally via: info '(coreutils) runcon invocation'

October 2026 GNU coreutils 9.12

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Document: runcon(1) from coreutils 9.12-r4 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/coreutils.git