| Netcat 1.10 is an updated release of Netcat, a simple Unix utility which reads |
| and writes data across network connections using TCP or UDP protocol. It is |
| designed to be a reliable "back-end" tool that can be used directly or easily |
| driven by other programs and scripts. At the same time it is a feature-rich |
| network debugging and exploration tool, since it can create almost any kind of |
| connection you would need and has several interesting built-in capabilities. |
| |
| Some of netcat's major features are: |
| |
| Outbound or inbound connections, TCP or UDP, to or from any ports |
| Full DNS forward/reverse checking, with appropriate warnings |
| Ability to use any local source port |
| Ability to use any locally-configured network source address |
| Built-in port-scanning capabilities, with randomizer |
| Built-in loose source-routing capability |
| Can read command line arguments from standard input |
| Slow-send mode, one line every N seconds |
| Hex dump of transmitted and received data |
| Optional ability to let another program service established connections |
| Optional telnet-options responder |
| |
| A very short list of potential uses: |
| |
| Script backends |
| Scanning ports and inventorying services, automated probes |
| Backup handlers |
| File transfers |
| Server testing, simulation, debugging, and hijacking |
| Firewall testing |
| Proxy gatewaying |
| Network performance testing |
| Address spoofing tests |
| Protecting X servers |
| 1001 other uses you'll likely come up with |
| |
| Changes between the 1.00 release and this release: |
| |
| Better portability -- updated generic.h and Makefile [thanx folks!] |
| Indication of local-end interface address on inbound connections |
| That's *Dave* Borman's telnet, not Paul Borman... |
| Better indication of DNS errors |
| Total byte counts printed if -v -v is used |
| A bunch of front-end driver companion programs and scripts |
| Better handling of stdin arguments-plus-data |
| Hex-dump feature |
| Telnet responder |
| Program exec works inbound or outbound now |
| |
| Netcat and the associated package is a product of Avian Research, and is freely |
| available in full source form with no restrictions save an obligation to give |
| credit where due. Get it via anonymous FTP at avian.org:/src/hacks/nc110.tgz |
| which is a gzipped tar file and not to be confused with its version 1.00 |
| precursor, nc100.tgz. Other distribution formats can be accomodated upon |
| request. Netcat is also mirrored at the following [faster] sites: |
| |
| zippy.telcom.arizona.edu:/pub/mirrors/avian.org/hacks/nc110.tgz |
| ftp.sterling.com:/mirrors/avian.org/src/hacks/nc110.tgz |
| coast.cs.purdue.edu:/pub/tools/unix/netcat/nc110.tgz |
| ftp.rge.com:/pub/security/coast/mirrors/avian.org/netcat/nc110.tgz |
| |
| _H* 960320 |
