ssh_scan alternatives

Looking for an alternative tool to replace ssh_scan? During the review of ssh_scan 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. Lynis (security scanner and compliance auditing tool)
  2. SSHsec (SSH configuration scanner)
  3. ssh-audit (SSH auditing tool)

These tools are ranked as the best alternatives to ssh_scan.

Alternatives (by score)

100

Lynis

Introduction

Lynis is an open-source security auditing tool that is available since 2007 and created by Michael Boelen. Its primary goal is to evaluate the security defenses of systems running Linux or other flavors of Unix. It provides suggestions to install, configure, or correct any security measures.

Project details

Lynis is written in shell script.

Strengths and weaknesses

  • + The source code is easy to read and understand
  • + More than 100 contributors
  • + More than 8000 GitHub stars
  • + Tool is easy to use
  • + Available as package (simplified installation)
  • + Commercial support available
  • + Used language is shell script
  • + Very low number of dependencies
  • + Project is mature (10+ years)
  • + The source code of this software is available

    Typical usage

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

    Lynis review

    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

      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

        64

        Damn Small FI Scanner (DSFS)

        Introduction

        None

        Project details

        Damn Small FI Scanner is written in Python.

        Strengths and weaknesses

        • + The source code of this software is available

          Typical usage

          • Security assessment
          • Vulnerability scanning

          Damn Small FI Scanner review

          88

          OpenSCAP

          Introduction

          The OpenSCAP project provides a wide variety of hardening guides, configuration baselines, and tools to test for vulnerabilities and configuration issues. It uses SCAP as the protocol to store the underlying data.

          Project details

          OpenSCAP is written in C.

          Strengths and weaknesses

          • + More than 25 contributors
          • + The source code of this software is available
          • + Supported by a large company

            Typical usage

            • Security assessment
            • Vulnerability scanning

            OpenSCAP review

            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

              89

              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

                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

                63

                Kojoney

                Introduction

                Kojoney is a mix of the Spanish word cojon (s/c/k/) and honey.

                Project details

                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

                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

                  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

                  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

                  60

                  Plecost

                  Introduction

                  Plecost is a security tool to fingerprint WordPress installations and find available vulnerabilities.

                  Project details

                  Plecost is written in Python.

                  Strengths and weaknesses

                  • + Screen output is colored
                  • + The source code of this software is available

                    Typical usage

                    • Web application analysis

                    Plecost review

                    76

                    SSLyze

                    Introduction

                    SSLyze provides a library for scanning services that use SSL/TLS for encrypted communications. It can be used to test their implementation.

                    Project details

                    60

                    changeme

                    Introduction

                    Supported protocols:

                    • HTTP/HTTPS
                    • MSSQL
                    • MySQL
                    • PostgreSQL
                    • SSH
                    • SSH with key

                    Project details

                    changeme is written in Python.

                    Strengths and weaknesses

                    • + The source code of this software is available

                      Typical usage

                      • Password strength testing
                      • Security assessment

                      changeme review

                      60

                      exitmap

                      Introduction

                      A tool like exitmap might be useful to monitor the reliability and trustworthiness of Tor exit relays. The Tor Project actually uses exitmap to check for false negatives and find malicious exit relays. These are related to the check service page of the project.

                      Project details

                      60

                      tlsenum

                      Introduction

                      Tlsenum is a CLI tool to enumerate TLS protocol and TLS cipher support by a server. The tool lists then the output based on the order of priority. Tlsenum can be used to find the supported protocols and ciphers of a system and determine if it is properly hardened. This information can be useful to system administrators and pentesters doing a security assessment of the system.

                      Project details

                      tlsenum is written in Python.

                      Strengths and weaknesses

                      • + The source code of this software is available

                        Typical usage

                        • Information gathering
                        • Security assessment
                        • System enumeration
                        • System hardening

                        tlsenum review

                        63

                        360-FAAR

                        Introduction

                        360-FAAR is a tool written in Perl to parse policies and logs from firewalls. It can compare firewall policies and translate between a policy and log data. Supported firewalls include Checkpoint FW1, Cisco ASA, and Netscreen ScreenOS.

                        Project details

                        360-FAAR is written in Perl.

                        Strengths and weaknesses

                        • + Project is mature (5+ years)
                        • + The source code of this software is available

                          Typical usage

                          • Firewall auditing
                          • Log analysis
                          • Security assessment
                          • Security reviews

                          360-FAAR review

                          68

                          Cloud Security Suite (CS Suite)

                          Introduction

                          Cloud Security Suite (CS Suite) is a security toolkit that allows scanning Amazon, Google, and Azure cloud platforms. It leverages tools like Lynis, Prowler, and Scout2 to collect all information. The promise of the tool is to simplify the installation of the tools, their configuration, and the data collection.

                          Project details

                          Cloud Security Suite is written in Python.

                          Strengths and weaknesses

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

                          Typical usage

                          • IT audit
                          • Configuration audit
                          • Penetration testing
                          • System hardening

                          Cloud Security Suite review

                          68

                          Docker Bench for Security

                          Introduction

                          Docker Bench for Security is a small security scanner to perform several tests that are part of the Docker CIS benchmark.

                          Project details

                          Docker Bench for Security is written in shell script.

                          Strengths and weaknesses

                          • + More than 25 contributors
                          • + Screen output is colored
                          • + More than 3000 GitHub stars
                          • + The source code of this software is available

                            Typical usage

                            • Application security
                            • Configuration audit
                            • Security assessment

                            Docker Bench for Security review

                            64

                            LUNAR

                            Introduction

                            LUNAR is short for Lockdown UNix Auditing and Reporting and runs on the system itself.

                            Project details

                            LUNAR is written in shell script.

                            Strengths and weaknesses

                            • + The source code of this software is available

                              Typical usage

                              • Security assessment
                              • Self-assessment
                              • System hardening

                              LUNAR review

                              85

                              Prowler

                              Introduction

                              Prowler is a security tool to check systems on AWS against the related CIS benchmark. This benchmark provides a set of best practices for AWS. The primary usage for this tool is system hardening and compliance checking.

                              Project details

                              Prowler is written in shell script.

                              Strengths and weaknesses

                              • + More than 25 contributors
                              • + More than 500 GitHub stars
                              • + The source code of this software is available

                                Typical usage

                                • Compliance testing
                                • Security assessment
                                • System hardening

                                Prowler review

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