HonSSH alternatives

Looking for an alternative tool to replace HonSSH? During the review of HonSSH we looked at other open source tools. Based on their category, tags, and text, these are the ones that have the best match.

Top 3

  1. Cowrie (SSH/telnet honeypot)
  2. Dockpot (SSH honeypot based on Docker)
  3. SSH Honeypot (SSH honeypot)

These tools are ranked as the best alternatives to HonSSH.

Alternatives (by score)

70

Cowrie

Introduction

Cowrie is a honeypot to emulate SSH and telnet services. It can be used to learn attack methods and as an additional layer for security monitoring.

Project details

Cowrie is written in Python.

Strengths and weaknesses

  • + More than 50 contributors
  • + More than 1000 GitHub stars

    Typical usage

    • Information gathering
    • Learning
    • Security monitoring
    • Threat discovery

    Cowrie review

    56

    Dockpot

    Introduction

    Using an SSH honeypot is a good way to learn about common attacks on the SSH service. It can provide insights on the number of scans and probes on the network.

    Project details

    Dockpot is written in Python.

    Strengths and weaknesses

    • + The source code of this software is available
    • - No releases on GitHub available

    Typical usage

    • Learning
    • Threat discovery

    Dockpot review

    60

    SSH Honeypot

    Introduction

    SSH Honeypot is as the name implies a honeypot to emulate the SSH service. It can be used to learn about threats and commands used by attackers.

    Project details

    SSH Honeypot is written in C.

    Strengths and weaknesses

    • + The source code of this software is available

      Typical usage

      • Learning
      • Threat discovery

      SSH Honeypot review

      56

      Kojoney2

      Introduction

      Kojoney2 is an SSH honeypot based on Kojoney by Jose Antonio Coret. It can be used to learn about threats by mimicking an SSH service.

      Project details

      Kojoney2 is written in Python.

      Strengths and weaknesses

      • + The source code of this software is available
      • - No updates for a while

      Typical usage

      • Learning
      • Threat discovery

      Kojoney2 review

      64

      SSHHiPot

      Introduction

      SSHHiPot is a high-interaction SSH honeypot. It captures connections and commands that are to be performed, for the purpose of learning about possible threats.

      Project details

      SSHHiPot is written in Golang.

      Strengths and weaknesses

      • + The source code of this software is available

        Typical usage

        • Learning
        • Threat discovery

        SSHHiPot review

        64

        sshesame

        Introduction

        A honeypot can provide valuable insights on commands that automated scripts perform or attackers. By running a honeypot like sshesame, connection details and commands are stored for later analysis. The system itself won't execute the actual commands, to prevent any damage to it.

        Project details

        sshesame is written in Golang.

        Strengths and weaknesses

        • + The source code of this software is available
        • - No releases on GitHub available

        Typical usage

        • Learning
        • Threat discovery

        sshesame review

        60

        Dionaea

        Introduction

        Dionaea is a honeypot that can emulate a range of services like FTP, HTTP, MySQL, and SMB. It can be used to see and learn how attackers work.

        Project details

        Dionaea is written in C.

        Strengths and weaknesses

        • + The source code of this software is available
        • - Full name of author is unknown

        Typical usage

        • Learning
        • Threat discovery

        Dionaea review

        60

        Heralding

        Introduction

        Heralding is a simple honeypot to collect credentials. It supports common protocols like FTP, SSH, HTTP, etc.

        Project details

        Heralding is written in Python.

        Strengths and weaknesses

        • + Many releases available
        • + The source code of this software is available

          Heralding review

          64

          MTPot

          Introduction

          MTPot is a so-called telnet honeypot that allows to bind and listen on a specific port. It can be configured to allow specific commands and the related responses to return. The tool also performs fingerprinting to discover what type of attack is occuring and send these details via syslog.

          Project details

          MTPot is written in Python.

          Strengths and weaknesses

          • + Very low number of dependencies
          • + The source code of this software is available

            Typical usage

            • Learning
            • Threat discovery

            MTPot review

            60

            TANNER

            Introduction

            TANNER and SNARE are used together to form one solution.

            Project details

            97

            Thug

            Introduction

            The honeypot concept is a well-known technique to collect attack patterns on servers and systems. Tools like Thug are considered to be a honeyclient, or client honeypot. These tools collect attacks against client applications. For example by mimicking a web application and visit a malicious page to see if any code is attacking the application.

            Project details

            Thug is written in Python.

            Strengths and weaknesses

            • + The source code of this software is available

              Typical usage

              • Learning
              • Malware analysis
              • Threat discovery

              Thug review

              64

              mehrai

              Introduction

              Honeypots like mehrai can be used to learn more about incoming attacks. It might be useful to determine threats to your network or about the steps that attackers perform.

              Project details

              mehrai is written in Python.

              Strengths and weaknesses

              • + The source code of this software is available

                Typical usage

                • Learning
                • Network security monitoring
                • Security monitoring

                mehrai review

                96

                Fail2ban

                Introduction

                Fail2Ban is an intrusion prevention software framework that protects computer servers from brute-force attacks

                Project details

                Fail2ban is written in Python.

                Strengths and weaknesses

                • + More than 2000 GitHub stars
                • + The source code of this software is available

                  Typical usage

                  • Network traffic filtering
                  • Security monitoring

                  Fail2ban review

                  67

                  OpenSSH

                  Introduction

                  OpenSSH is a much-used connectivity tool for remote administration of Linux systems. It uses the SSH protocol and encrypts all traffic to eliminate eavesdropping, connection hijacking, and other related attacks.

                  Project details

                  60

                  SSHsec

                  Introduction

                  SSHsec scans a system running the SSH protocol and retrieves its configuration, host keys, and Diffie-Hellman groups.

                  Project details

                  SSHsec is written in Python.

                  Strengths and weaknesses

                  • + The source code of this software is available

                    Typical usage

                    • Information gathering
                    • Penetration testing
                    • Security assessment

                    SSHsec review

                    74

                    known_hosts_bruteforcer

                    Introduction

                    This utility is useful when you obtained a known_hosts file, but can't decipher the hashed hostnames from it.

                    Project details

                    known_hosts_bruteforcer is written in Perl.

                    Strengths and weaknesses

                    • + The source code of this software is available
                    • - No updates for a while

                    Typical usage

                    • Digital forensics
                    • Penetration testing

                    known_hosts_bruteforcer review

                    60

                    ssh-audit

                    Introduction

                    The ssh-audit tool is of great help when scanning SSH servers to discover possible improvements. It is written in Python and with a simple 'git clone' it can already be started. You typically would use a tool like this to improve your own SSH configurations or as part of a security assignment.

                    Project details

                    ssh-audit is written in Python.

                    Strengths and weaknesses

                    • + The source code is easy to read and understand
                    • + Tool is easy to use
                    • + More than 2000 GitHub stars
                    • + Very low number of dependencies
                    • + The source code of this software is available

                      Typical usage

                      • Application security
                      • Penetration testing
                      • Security assessment

                      ssh-audit review

                      60

                      ssh_scan

                      Introduction

                      This tool is light on its dependencies, as it only uses Ruby and BinData. The scanner is simple to use, as it is limited in the number of parameters and options. There is also the ability to show the results on the screen or export the data to a JSON file. The latter is great if you want to do further processing of the details, or simply store them for later comparison.

                      Project details

                      ssh_scan is written in Ruby.

                      Strengths and weaknesses

                      • + More than 10 contributors
                      • + Many releases available
                      • + The source code of this software is available
                      • + Supported by a large company

                        Typical usage

                        • Penetration testing
                        • Security assessment
                        • System hardening
                        • Vulnerability scanning

                        ssh_scan review

                        52

                        sshttp

                        Introduction

                        This tool allows you to run a web server and SSH daemon on the same TCP port. It can be useful to bypass some firewall restrictions.

                        Project details

                        sshttp is written in C++.

                        Strengths and weaknesses

                        • + Project is mature (5+ years)
                        • - Unknown project license

                        Typical usage

                        • Bypassing firewall rules
                        • Protocol multiplexing

                        sshttp review

                        70

                        sslh

                        Introduction

                        A typical use case for multiplexing is to allow serving several services on one port. Port 443 is commonly used, as that is typically opened on firewalls to allow HTTPS traffic. By multiplexing it, you can also use SSH or other services on the same port.

                        Project details

                        70

                        Conpot

                        Introduction

                        Conpot is an ICS honeypot to collect intelligence and information about attacks against industrial control systems. It is written in Python.

                        Project details

                        Conpot is written in Python.

                        Strengths and weaknesses

                        • + More than 25 contributors
                        • + The source code of this software is available

                          Typical usage

                          • Information gathering
                          • Intrusion detection
                          • Learning

                          Conpot review

                          64

                          HonTel

                          Introduction

                          HonTel is a honeypot that emulates the telnet service within a chroot environment. It can be used to learn about enumeration activities or new attack methods.

                          Project details

                          HonTel is written in Python.

                          Strengths and weaknesses

                          • + The source code of this software is available

                            Typical usage

                            • Learning
                            • Security monitoring

                            HonTel review

                            60

                            HoneyPi

                            Introduction

                            A honeypot is useful to learn more about the network probes that are happening. As this project uses a Raspberry Pi, the investments for a deployment are low.

                            Project details

                            HoneyPi is written in Python.

                            Strengths and weaknesses

                            • + The source code of this software is available

                              Typical usage

                              • Learning
                              • Network analysis

                              HoneyPi review

                              60

                              HoneyPy

                              Introduction

                              The honeypot can be extended by plugins and customization is possible as well. This may increase the interaction level that the honeypot can support. All activity is logged to a file, with the option to post activity to Twitter or a web server.

                              Project details

                              HoneyPy is written in Python.

                              Strengths and weaknesses

                              • + The source code of this software is available

                                Typical usage

                                • Security monitoring

                                HoneyPy review

                                52

                                Honeyprint

                                Introduction

                                There is not much information available about this project, as it is a proof-of-concept on GitHub. It is written by Lukas Rist in 2013, and placed on GitHub early 2016.

                                Project details

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