macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install terrapin-scannerlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew / rank 10260
Install terrapin-scanner with Homebrew, Nix
Vulnerability scanner for the Terrapin attack. Version 1.1.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-26. Also installable with nix: nix profile install nixpkgs#terrapin-scanner.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#terrapin-scannernixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/te/terrapin-scanner/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Vulnerability scanner for the Terrapin attack
Project links
Commands and aliases
- Terrapin-Scanner
history
Project history and usage
Terrapin Vulnerability Scanner is the companion command-line scanner for the Terrapin SSH prefix-truncation attack. The official attack site and repository describe it as a small Go console application that tests whether an SSH server or client offers vulnerable encryption modes and whether strict key exchange countermeasures are present.
Project history
The scanner was published by the Ruhr University Bochum Network and Data Security group alongside the Terrapin research disclosure. Its narrow purpose is deliberate: it gathers SSH algorithm support in a single connection, avoids full authentication, and does not perform the attack.
Adoption history
Adoption followed the disclosure pattern of a vulnerability-specific operations tool. The project provides release binaries for major desktop platforms, a container image, and Go installation instructions, making it easy for administrators and package maintainers to run quick checks during SSH patch rollouts.
How it is used
The CLI is used either in connect mode against an SSH server or in listen mode for testing an SSH client. It can emit JSON, which makes it useful for scripted fleet checks and package-manager users who want a reproducible local scanner rather than a web-based test.
Why package nerds care
For package nerds, terrapin-scanner is a compact example of a research artifact becoming a packaged remediation aid. Its Homebrew and Nix packaging matters less as a general-purpose utility and more as a convenient way to reproduce an official scanner during the short operational window after a protocol vulnerability disclosure.
Timeline
- 2024: Terrapin paper scheduled for Real World Crypto, Black Hat USA, and USENIX Security presentations.
- 2024: Official scanner released with prebuilt binaries, Docker image, and Go install path.
- 2024: v1.1.3 listed as latest GitHub release on January 18, 2024.
Related projects
- The scanner is tied to the Terrapin attack research and to SSH implementations that adopted the strict key exchange countermeasure.
Sources
- https://github.com/RUB-NDS/Terrapin-Scanner official README, usage, build, release, and JSON-output notes.
- https://terrapin-attack.com/ official attack site and scanner description.
- source_facts.package-manager lists brew and nix packaging.
security posture
Risk level: red
escape, surveillance, or offensive capability signal.
Risk classifier
red risk · medium confidence · escape-surveillance-offensive
Why
- escape, surveillance, or offensive capability signal
Signals
- text:vulnerability scanner
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
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
Terrapin-Scanner | executable | indexed executable | Discovered 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 version1.1.3
manager updated2026-07-26
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:terrapin-scanner |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.1.3 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://terrapin-attack.com/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/RUB-NDS/Terrapin-Scanner |
| Last updated | 2026-07-26T00:50:37+02:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none 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.
Nix95%
terrapin-scanner
nix profile install nixpkgs#terrapin-scanner- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Terrapin Scanner
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.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
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