SSH Honeypot alternatives

Looking for an alternative tool to replace SSH Honeypot? During the review of SSH Honeypot 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. HonSSH (SSH honeypot)

These tools are ranked as the best alternatives to SSH Honeypot.

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

    64

    HonSSH

    Introduction

    HonSSH is a high-interaction SSH honeypot to collect information about attackers that target the SSH service.

    Project details

    HonSSH is written in Python.

    Strengths and weaknesses

    • + The source code of this software is available
    • - Unknown project license

    Typical usage

    • Learning
    • Threat discovery

    HonSSH 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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