pkg.soopen package index

brew / rank 8967

Install kstart with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix

Modified version of kinit that can use keytabs to authenticate. Version 4.3 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install kstart.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install kstart

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add kstart

Alpine Linux edge package indexes · kstart · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org

Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install kstart

Debian stable package indexes · kstart · source: deb.debian.org

Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install kstart

Fedora Rawhide package metadata · kstart · source: dl.fedoraproject.org

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#kstart

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ks/kstart/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Modified version of kinit that can use keytabs to authenticate

Commands and aliases

  • k5start
  • krenew

history

Project history and usage

kstart is Russ Allbery's Kerberos helper package containing k5start and krenew, modified kinit-like tools for obtaining, renewing, and maintaining Kerberos ticket caches for long-running processes.

Project history

The Eyrie documentation describes k5start as a modified version of kinit that can obtain credentials from a keytab, run as a daemon, refresh credentials periodically, and optionally obtain AFS tokens. krenew shares much of the role but renews an existing renewable ticket cache rather than obtaining new tickets from a password or keytab.

Adoption history

kstart's adoption is strongest in Kerberos-heavy Unix environments: servers, cron jobs, daemons, batch jobs, and AFS sites where ticket renewal should be handled outside the application. The project page links Debian packages and Debian package tracking, reflecting its place as a small infrastructure utility rather than an end-user application.

How it is used

Administrators use k5start to run a command with keytab-backed credentials and keep its ticket cache alive, or to run a daemon that refreshes credentials. Users use krenew when a renewable ticket cache exists and a long-running command needs renewal without storing a keytab.

Why package nerds care

kstart is a classic sysadmin package: small, security-sensitive, low-glamour, and essential in the places that need it. Its value is that it makes Kerberos ticket lifetime management scriptable and separable from the services that consume those tickets.

Timeline

  • 2021-08-31: kstart 4.3 was released.
  • 2021-08-31: The project page listed tar.gz and tar.xz release archives plus PGP signatures.
  • 2021: The documentation described MIT Kerberos and Heimdal as the thoroughly tested Kerberos libraries on Debian.

Related projects

  • Related projects include MIT Kerberos, Heimdal, kinit, AFS aklog, afslog, OpenAFS, and Debian Kerberos packaging.

security posture

Risk level: green

narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.

Risk classifier

green risk · low confidence · appliance

Why

  • narrow executable package without higher-risk signals

Signals

  • metadata:no-higher-risk-signals

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
k5startexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.
krenewexecutableindexed executableDiscovered from the local executable index.

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-08-03
manager version4.3
manager updated
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
  • okNo freshness warnings were generated.

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:kstart
Version4.3
Package managerHomebrew
Homepagehttps://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/
Bottlenot recorded
Servicenone declared

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

kstart 4.3-1

Kerberos kinit supporting AFS and ticket refreshing

https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/

sudo apt install kstart
  • Section: net
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 3 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Kstart
Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: kstart from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz
Nix95%

kstart

nix profile install nixpkgs#kstart
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Kstart
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ks/kstart/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1
Ubuntu apt95%

kstart 4.3-1

Kerberos kinit supporting AFS and ticket refreshing

https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/

sudo apt install kstart
  • Section: universe/net
  • Architecture: amd64
  • 3 dependencies
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Kstart
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: kstart from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz
apk95%

kstart 4.3-r1

Port of kinit for automated refreshing of service kerberos tickets

https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/

sudo apk add kstart
  • License: custom
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: kstart
  • 1 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Kstart
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kstart from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
apk95%

kstart-doc 4.3-r1

Port of kinit for automated refreshing of service kerberos tickets (documentation)

https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/

sudo apk add kstart-doc
  • License: custom
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: kstart
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Kstart
Alpine Linux edge package indexes · dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org · Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kstart-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz
dnf95%

kstart 4.3-19.fc45

Daemon version of kinit for Kerberos v5

http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/

sudo dnf install kstart
  • License: MIT
  • Category: Unspecified
  • Architecture: x86_64
  • Source Package: kstart
  • 5 dependencies
  • 1 provides
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Kstart
Fedora Rawhide package metadata · dl.fedoraproject.org · Fedora Rawhide package metadata: kstart from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/07190dc5ae9f35ae73866675fed6d95fe6e8d9fe22c9d7cdf85862cb2ed24a4c-primary.xml.zst

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Used sources

  • Geiger risk classifier
  • cross-ecosystem install command graph
  • curated package history
  • external package-manager database matches
  • pkg.so package database
  • pkgdb category and tag curation