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// arsenal·Linux & ShellIntermediateFOSS

Socat

Netcat on steroids — bidirectional relays across virtually any pair of channels.

Linux & Shell

$ socat --help

Socat

// what it is

Description

Gerhard Rieger's tool that turns any two endpoints (sockets, pipes, files, devices, openssl, exec) into a bidirectional stream. Used for everything from TLS-wrapped reverse shells to USB-over-IP.

// use cases

What people use it for

  • TLS-encrypted reverse shells
  • Port forwarding
  • Protocol bridges

// commands

The commands you'll type

TLS reverse shell listener

$ socat OPENSSL-LISTEN:4444,cert=server.pem,verify=0 -

Local TCP forward

$ socat TCP-LISTEN:8080,fork TCP:internal:80

// facts

category
Linux & Shell
platforms
LIN · MAC
license
FOSS
difficulty
Intermediate

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