diff --git a/integration-tests/pkg/collector/collector_docker.go b/integration-tests/pkg/collector/collector_docker.go
index 327914646a..e9c4badee7 100644
--- a/integration-tests/pkg/collector/collector_docker.go
+++ b/integration-tests/pkg/collector/collector_docker.go
@@ -120,10 +120,17 @@ func (c *DockerCollectorManager) IsRunning() (bool, error) {
 }
 
 func (c *DockerCollectorManager) createCollectorStartConfig() (config.ContainerStartConfig, error) {
+	privileged := config.NeedsPrivileged()
+	var capAdd []string
+	if !privileged {
+		capAdd = []string{"BPF", "PERFMON", "SYS_PTRACE", "SYS_RESOURCE"}
+	}
+
 	startConfig := config.ContainerStartConfig{
 		Name:        "collector",
 		Image:       config.Images().CollectorImage(),
-		Privileged:  true,
+		Privileged:  privileged,
+		CapAdd:      capAdd,
 		NetworkMode: "host",
 		Mounts:      c.mounts,
 		Env:         c.env,
diff --git a/integration-tests/pkg/collector/collector_k8s.go b/integration-tests/pkg/collector/collector_k8s.go
index 74c29a4e3c..b950ec6136 100644
--- a/integration-tests/pkg/collector/collector_k8s.go
+++ b/integration-tests/pkg/collector/collector_k8s.go
@@ -129,14 +129,27 @@ func (k *K8sCollectorManager) Launch() error {
 		Labels:    map[string]string{"app": "collector"},
 	}
 
-	privileged := true
+	needsPrivileged := config.NeedsPrivileged()
+	secCtx := &coreV1.SecurityContext{}
+	if needsPrivileged {
+		secCtx.Privileged = &needsPrivileged
+	} else {
+		noPrivEsc := false
+		notPrivileged := false
+		secCtx.Privileged = &notPrivileged
+		secCtx.AllowPrivilegeEscalation = &noPrivEsc
+		secCtx.Capabilities = &coreV1.Capabilities{
+			Drop: []coreV1.Capability{"ALL"},
+			Add:  []coreV1.Capability{"BPF", "PERFMON", "SYS_PTRACE", "SYS_RESOURCE"},
+		}
+	}
 	container := coreV1.Container{
 		Name:            "collector",
 		Image:           config.Images().CollectorImage(),
 		Ports:           []coreV1.ContainerPort{{ContainerPort: 8080}},
 		Env:             k.env,
 		VolumeMounts:    k.volumeMounts,
-		SecurityContext: &coreV1.SecurityContext{Privileged: &privileged},
+		SecurityContext: secCtx,
 	}
 
 	pod := &coreV1.Pod{
diff --git a/integration-tests/pkg/config/config.go b/integration-tests/pkg/config/config.go
index 47febb7cd4..12c1ad4740 100644
--- a/integration-tests/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/integration-tests/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -170,3 +170,26 @@ func BenchmarksInfo() *Benchmarks {
 func LogPath() string {
 	return filepath.Join(".", "container-logs", VMInfo().Config, CollectionMethod())
 }
+
+// NeedsPrivileged returns true for VMs where CAP_BPF and CAP_PERFMON are
+// not functional as discrete capabilities:
+//   - RHCOS 4.12-4.19: RHEL 8 kernel (4.18.0) lacks discrete CAP_BPF
+//   - RHEL 8: same kernel limitation
+//   - RHEL-SAP: SAP kernel builds restrict BPF capability probing even on 5.14+
+//   - s390x: RHEL 8 kernel
+func NeedsPrivileged() bool {
+	vmConfig := VMInfo().Config
+	privilegedPlatforms := []string{
+		"rhcos-412", "rhcos-413", "rhcos-414", "rhcos-415",
+		"rhcos-416", "rhcos-417", "rhcos-418", "rhcos-419",
+		"rhel_rhel-8", "rhel-8",
+		"rhel-sap",
+		"rhel-s390x",
+	}
+	for _, pattern := range privilegedPlatforms {
+		if strings.Contains(vmConfig, pattern) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/integration-tests/pkg/config/container_config.go b/integration-tests/pkg/config/container_config.go
index 992cded1c9..b404554380 100644
--- a/integration-tests/pkg/config/container_config.go
+++ b/integration-tests/pkg/config/container_config.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ type ContainerStartConfig struct {
 	Name        string
 	Image       string
 	Privileged  bool
+	CapAdd      []string
 	NetworkMode string
 	Mounts      map[string]string
 	Env         map[string]string
diff --git a/integration-tests/pkg/executor/executor_cri.go b/integration-tests/pkg/executor/executor_cri.go
index caf9a35278..fa555bface 100644
--- a/integration-tests/pkg/executor/executor_cri.go
+++ b/integration-tests/pkg/executor/executor_cri.go
@@ -226,18 +226,26 @@ func (c *criExecutor) StartContainer(config config.ContainerStartConfig) (string
 		})
 	}
 
+	secCtx := &pb.LinuxContainerSecurityContext{
+		Privileged: config.Privileged,
+		NamespaceOptions: &pb.NamespaceOption{
+			Network: network,
+		},
+	}
+	if len(config.CapAdd) > 0 {
+		secCtx.Capabilities = &pb.Capability{
+			AddCapabilities:  config.CapAdd,
+			DropCapabilities: []string{"ALL"},
+		}
+	}
+
 	containerConfig := pb.ContainerConfig{
 		Metadata: &pb.ContainerMetadata{Name: config.Name},
 		Image:    &pb.ImageSpec{Image: config.Image},
 		Envs:     envs,
 		Mounts:   mounts,
 		Linux: &pb.LinuxContainerConfig{
-			SecurityContext: &pb.LinuxContainerSecurityContext{
-				Privileged: config.Privileged,
-				NamespaceOptions: &pb.NamespaceOption{
-					Network: network,
-				},
-			},
+			SecurityContext: secCtx,
 		},
 		LogPath: config.Name,
 		Labels:  labels,
diff --git a/integration-tests/pkg/executor/executor_docker_api.go b/integration-tests/pkg/executor/executor_docker_api.go
index d713a7c440..3a39f272fe 100644
--- a/integration-tests/pkg/executor/executor_docker_api.go
+++ b/integration-tests/pkg/executor/executor_docker_api.go
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ func (d *dockerAPIExecutor) StartContainer(startConfig config.ContainerStartConf
 		NetworkMode: container.NetworkMode(startConfig.NetworkMode),
 		Privileged:  startConfig.Privileged,
 		Binds:       binds,
+		CapAdd:      startConfig.CapAdd,
 	}
 	resp, err := d.client.ContainerCreate(ctx, containerConfig, hostConfig, nil, nil, startConfig.Name)
 	if err != nil {