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brew / rank 7218

Install pwncat with Homebrew, Nix

Netcat with FW/IDS/IPS evasion, self-inject-, bind- and reverse shell. Version 0.1.2 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#pwncat.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install pwncat

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#pwncat

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

overview

Package summary

Netcat with FW/IDS/IPS evasion, self-inject-, bind- and reverse shell

Commands and aliases

  • pwncat

history

Project history and usage

pwncat is a Python-based, netcat-compatible networking and security tool with bind and reverse shells, port forwarding, scanning, traffic manipulation, and evasion-oriented features.

Project history

Cytopia created pwncat to combine netcat-compatible networking with firewall and IDS/IPS evasion, resilient bind and reverse shells, port forwarding, self-injection, and a Python scripting engine. Official documentation is copyright-dated 2020.

Adoption history

The project documents installation through Homebrew and several Linux distributions, including Arch, BlackArch, Fedora, Kali, NixOS, Pentoo, and Parrot. Its cross-platform Python implementation helped make advanced netcat-style behavior available without a platform-specific binary.

How it is used

Common uses include opening listeners, creating bind or reverse shells, forwarding ports, transferring files, scanning TCP or UDP ports, and manipulating traffic through the Pwncat Scripting Engine.

Why package nerds care

pwncat is notable for extending the familiar netcat command-line model with penetration-testing features while retaining compatibility with common netcat connection and listening workflows.

Timeline

  • 2020: Official documentation and repository materials identify the Cytopia pwncat project and its initial 0.1-series releases.

Related projects

  • The official project compares itself with `nc`, Ncat, and socat. It is distinct from the later `pwncat-cs` project, which changed its package and executable name to avoid this naming conflict.

Sources

  • Official documentation: https://docs.pwncat.org/en/latest/
  • Official repository: https://github.com/cytopia/pwncat

security posture

Risk level: yellow

generalized runtime or code generation signal.

Risk classifier

yellow risk · medium confidence · runtime

Why

  • generalized runtime or code generation signal

Signals

  • text:shell

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 1 platform targets.
  • Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.

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
pwncatcliglobal executable

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 generated2026-09-19
manager version0.1.2
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://pwncat.org

  • infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
  • infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://pwncat.orgnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:pwncat
Version0.1.2
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/pwncat
Homepagehttps://pwncat.org
Repositoryhttps://github.com/cytopia/pwncat
Upstream docshttps://pwncat.org
LicenseMIT
Source archivehttps://files.pythonhosted.org/packages/c9/ce/51f7b53a8ee3b4afe4350577ee92f416f32b9b166f0d84b480fec1717a42/pwncat-0.1.2.tar.gz
Dependenciespython@3.14
Bottleavailable (on all)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicenone declared

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namepwncat
Version Scheme0
Revision0
Head VersionHEAD
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedno
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • head
  • stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

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

Nix95%

pwncat

nix profile install nixpkgs#pwncat
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Pwncat
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/pw/pwncat/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

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

Related tools

Same workflow

  • proxelarShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, networking, security.
  • proxifyShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, networking, security.
  • gnutlsShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, security.
  • krb5Shares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, security.
  • libcapShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, security.
  • nettleShares pkgdb curated category or tags: cli, security.

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
  • package relationship graph
  • package version freshness
  • package-page enrichment
  • pkg.so package database
  • pkgdb category and tag curation