The shared library will be installed at: /usr/lib/libhardened_malloc.so /usr/lib/libhardened_malloc-light.so It's will NOT become active on its own. To enable it system-wide, you must preload it. 1. Test it first! Make sure a normal binary still runs: LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libhardened_malloc.so /bin/true && echo OK LD_PRELOAD=/usr/lib/libhardened_malloc-light.so /bin/true && echo OK If that prints OK, the library loads cleanly on this system. 2. Enable system-wide by adding this single line to /etc/ld.so.preload (create if file doesn't exist): /usr/lib/libhardened_malloc.so for light variant: /usr/lib/libhardened_malloc-light.so Per-process alternative (safer to trial): just export LD_PRELOAD as above for the programs you want, instead of editing ld.so.preload. ################ WARNING ################ /etc/ld.so.preload is loaded by EVERY dynamically-linked program. If provided .so files are ever missing or broken while listed there, essential tools (your shell, sudo , xbps) may fail to start and you can lock yourself out of a running system.