diff --git a/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc b/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
index 2719d081e0ce..0d3e3c5606ba 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.next.asciidoc
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ https://github.com/elastic/beats/compare/v8.2.0\...main[Check the HEAD diff]
 - Fix bug where states.duration_ms was incorrect type. {pull}33563[33563]
 - Fix handling of long UDP messages in UDP input. {issue}33836[33836] {pull}33837[33837]
 - Fix browser monitor summary reporting as up when monitor is down. {issue}33374[33374] {pull}33819[33819]
+- Fix beat capabilities on Docker image. {pull}33584[33584]
 
 
 *Heartbeat*
diff --git a/heartbeat/security/policy_linux_386.go b/heartbeat/security/policy_linux_386.go
index 74b98e8d5b46..b868891db68d 100644
--- a/heartbeat/security/policy_linux_386.go
+++ b/heartbeat/security/policy_linux_386.go
@@ -109,8 +109,11 @@ func init() {
 		"sendto",
 		"set_robust_list",
 		"set_tid_address",
+		"setgid",
+		"setgroups",
 		"setpriority",
 		"setsid",
+		"setuid",
 		"sigaltstack",
 		"socket",
 		"socketpair",
diff --git a/heartbeat/security/policy_linux_amd64.go b/heartbeat/security/policy_linux_amd64.go
index 478527f6c21d..9d9f0033a9a1 100644
--- a/heartbeat/security/policy_linux_amd64.go
+++ b/heartbeat/security/policy_linux_amd64.go
@@ -109,8 +109,11 @@ func init() {
 		"sendto",
 		"set_robust_list",
 		"set_tid_address",
+		"setgid",
+		"setgroups",
 		"setpriority",
 		"setsid",
+		"setuid",
 		"sigaltstack",
 		"socket",
 		"socketpair",
diff --git a/heartbeat/security/security.go b/heartbeat/security/security.go
index ab99ac4fc36c..b4f4f51d61e3 100644
--- a/heartbeat/security/security.go
+++ b/heartbeat/security/security.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"syscall"
 
-	"github.com/elastic/go-sysinfo"
+	sysinfo "github.com/elastic/go-sysinfo"
 
 	"kernel.org/pub/linux/libs/security/libcap/cap"
 )
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func init() {
 	}
 
 	if localUserName := os.Getenv("BEAT_SETUID_AS"); isContainer && localUserName != "" && syscall.Geteuid() == 0 {
-		err := changeUser(localUserName)
+		err := setNodeProcAttr(localUserName)
 		if err != nil {
 			panic(err)
 		}
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ func init() {
 	_ = setCapabilities()
 }
 
-func changeUser(localUserName string) error {
+func setNodeProcAttr(localUserName string) error {
+
 	localUser, err := user.Lookup(localUserName)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not lookup '%s': %w", localUser, err)
@@ -70,50 +71,33 @@ func changeUser(localUserName string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not parse GID '%s' as int: %w", localUser.Uid, err)
 	}
+
 	// We include the root group because the docker image contains many directories (data,logs)
 	// that are owned by root:root with 0775 perms. The heartbeat user is in both groups
 	// in the container, but we need to repeat that here.
-	err = syscall.Setgroups([]int{localUserGID, 0})
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not set groups: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	// Set the main group as localUserUid so new files created are owned by the user's group
-	err = syscall.Setgid(localUserGID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not set gid to %d: %w", localUserGID, err)
+	NodeChildProcCred = &syscall.Credential{
+		Uid:         uint32(localUserUID),
+		Gid:         uint32(localUserGID),
+		Groups:      []uint32{0},
+		NoSetGroups: false,
 	}
 
-	// Note this is not the regular SetUID! Look at the 'cap' package docs for it, it preserves
-	// capabilities post-SetUID, which we use to lock things down immediately
-	err = cap.SetUID(localUserUID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("could not setuid to %d: %w", localUserUID, err)
-	}
-
-	// This may not be necessary, but is good hygiene, we do some shelling out to node/npm etc.
-	// and $HOME should reflect the user's preferences
 	return os.Setenv("HOME", localUser.HomeDir)
 }
 
 func setCapabilities() error {
-	// Start with an empty capability set
-	newcaps := cap.NewSet()
-	// Both permitted and effective are required! Permitted makes the permmission
-	// possible to get, effective makes it 'active'
-	err := newcaps.SetFlag(cap.Permitted, true, cap.NET_RAW)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error setting permitted setcap: %w", err)
-	}
-	err = newcaps.SetFlag(cap.Effective, true, cap.NET_RAW)
+	newcaps := cap.GetProc()
+
+	// Raise all permitted caps to effective
+	err := newcaps.Fill(cap.Effective, cap.Permitted)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error setting effective setcap: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("error raising effective cap set: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// We do not want these capabilities to be inherited by subprocesses
-	err = newcaps.SetFlag(cap.Inheritable, false, cap.NET_RAW)
+	// Drop all inheritable caps to stop propagation to child proc
+	err = newcaps.ClearFlag(cap.Inheritable)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error setting inheritable setcap: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("error clearing inheritable cap set: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	// Apply the new capabilities to the current process (incl. all threads)
diff --git a/heartbeat/security/security_unix.go b/heartbeat/security/security_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..04d0175b2ad1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heartbeat/security/security_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one or more contributor
+// license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
+// this work for additional information regarding copyright
+// ownership. Elasticsearch B.V. licenses this file to you under
+// the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+// not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+// software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+// "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+// KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+// specific language governing permissions and limitations
+// under the License.
+
+//go:build linux || darwin
+// +build linux darwin
+
+package security
+
+import (
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+var NodeChildProcCred *syscall.Credential = nil
diff --git a/x-pack/heartbeat/monitors/browser/browser.go b/x-pack/heartbeat/monitors/browser/browser.go
index 6411d0d3f092..4444950a6201 100644
--- a/x-pack/heartbeat/monitors/browser/browser.go
+++ b/x-pack/heartbeat/monitors/browser/browser.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/v7/heartbeat/ecserr"
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/v7/heartbeat/monitors/plugin"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/v7/heartbeat/security"
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ func create(name string, cfg *config.C) (p plugin.Plugin, err error) {
 	})
 
 	// We do not use user.Current() which does not reflect setuid changes!
-	if syscall.Geteuid() == 0 {
+	if syscall.Geteuid() == 0 && security.NodeChildProcCred == nil {
 		return plugin.Plugin{}, fmt.Errorf("script monitors cannot be run as root")
 	}
 
diff --git a/x-pack/heartbeat/monitors/browser/synthexec/synthexec_linux.go b/x-pack/heartbeat/monitors/browser/synthexec/synthexec_linux.go
index 65843d727375..a1a5a0879529 100644
--- a/x-pack/heartbeat/monitors/browser/synthexec/synthexec_linux.go
+++ b/x-pack/heartbeat/monitors/browser/synthexec/synthexec_linux.go
@@ -1,19 +1,24 @@
 // Copyright Elasticsearch B.V. and/or licensed to Elasticsearch B.V. under one
 // or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License;
 // you may not use this file except in compliance with the Elastic License.
-//go:build linux || darwin
-// +build linux darwin
+//go:build linux
+// +build linux
 
 package synthexec
 
 import (
+	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/v7/heartbeat/security"
+	"github.com/elastic/elastic-agent-libs/logp"
 )
 
 func init() {
 	platformCmdMutate = func(cmd *exec.Cmd) {
+		logp.L().Warn("invoking node as:", security.NodeChildProcCred, " from: ", os.Getenv("HOME"))
 		// Note that while cmd.SysProcAtr takes a syscall.SysProcAttr object
 		// we are passing in a unix.SysProcAttr object
 		// this is equivalent, but the unix package is not considered deprecated
@@ -21,6 +26,8 @@ func init() {
 		cmd.SysProcAttr = &unix.SysProcAttr{
 			// Ensure node subprocesses are killed if this process dies (linux only)
 			Pdeathsig: unix.SIGKILL,
+			// Apply restricted user if available
+			Credential: security.NodeChildProcCred,
 		}
 	}
 }