You need root capabilities to use `loadkeys`. It is common to set the setuid permission bit on `loadkeys`. For added security, you should change `loadkeys`'s permissions to `750`, make a group for it, and add any users that need to use `loadkeys` to that group. $ chmod 4750 /bin/loadkeys # setuid, group- and user-only read and execution $ groupadd loadkeys # you can use any group name $ chgrp loadkeys /bin/loadkeys $ gpasswd -a user loadkeys # add user to the group