OpenSSH
OpenSSH is a free and open source suite of network connectivity tools for remote login and other secure network services over an unsecured network. It provides secure encrypted communication channels between two devices.
ssh
remote-access
encryption
secure-shell
OpenSSH: Secure Remote Login and Networking Tool
Free and open source suite of network connectivity tools for remote login and other secure network services, providing encrypted communication channels
What is OpenSSH?
OpenSSH is a widely used connectivity tool for remote login and other secure network services over an unsecured network. It provides secure encrypted communication channels between two devices connected over the internet or a local network.
OpenSSH was created as a free and open source alternative to the proprietary Secure Shell (SSH) software by Tatu Ylonen. It is designed to replace other insecure remote access protocols like Telnet or Rlogin.
Some key features of OpenSSH include:
- Encrypted communication to prevent eavesdropping, connection hijacking and other attacks.
- Secure tunneling capabilities and port forwarding.
- Authentication using public key cryptography and passwords.
- Compatibility across all major operating systems like Linux, macOS, and Windows.
OpenSSH allows system administrators, developers and other remote users to securely access resources, transfer files, issue commands in a remote machine and more. It is a vital tool used by IT teams globally for management of servers, network devices, etc over the internet.
OpenSSH Features
Features
- Secure remote login
- Secure file transfer
- Secure port forwarding
- Support for various authentication methods (e.g., password, public key)
- Encryption of network traffic using strong ciphers
- Support for various operating systems (e.g., Linux, macOS, Windows)
- Compatibility with a wide range of network devices and protocols
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Highly secure and reliable
Free and open-source software
Widely adopted and well-supported
Customizable and extensible
Cross-platform compatibility
Cons
Requires some technical knowledge to configure and use
May have performance overhead compared to some proprietary alternatives
Lacks some advanced features found in commercial SSH clients
Official Links
The Best OpenSSH Alternatives
Top Security & Privacy and Encryption and other similar apps like OpenSSH
PuTTY
PuTTY is a widely used terminal emulator and SSH client that provides a user-friendly interface for connecting to remote servers and devices. It was initially developed for Microsoft Windows but has been adapted for other platforms as well. PuTTY is known for its simplicity, reliability, and support for various network...
SecureCRT
SecureCRT is a terminal emulator designed for secure remote access and administration of servers, routers, and other network devices. It was originally created by VanDyke Software and is now owned by Progress. Some key features of SecureCRT include:Support for SSH1, SSH2, Telnet, rlogin, serial connections, and other protocolsAdvanced SSH features...
Xshell
Xshell is a feature-rich terminal emulator, SSH client, and remote access software application developed by NetSarang Computer for Windows and macOS operating systems. It enables users to securely access remote servers, devices or computer systems via different protocols including SSH, Telnet, RDP, VNC, and SFTP.Some of the key features of...
Tera Term
Tera Term is a popular, free, open-source terminal emulator and telnet client application for the Windows operating system. First released in 1994 by T. Teranishi, it has become one of the most widely-used terminal programs for Windows due to its versatility, active development community, and lack of cost.Some of the...
Royal TSX
Royal TSX is a powerful Windows application designed specifically for managing remote connections and automating routine tasks. With an intuitive tabbed interface and support for a wide range of protocols like RDP, VNC, SSH, Telnet, and more, Royal TSX aims to be the all-in-one solution for IT administrators, developers, and...
KiTTY
KiTTY is an enhanced fork of PuTTY, the popular open-source Telnet and SSH client for Windows. It retains the familiar interface of PuTTY while adding many useful features that are missing in the original.Some of the major features added in KiTTY include:Session logging - Ability to log all terminal output...
PAC Manager
PAC Manager is a free and open source software application for Microsoft Windows that provides an intuitive graphical user interface to create, edit, validate, and manage proxy auto-configuration (PAC) files. It aims to make PAC file management easier than using a regular text editor.With PAC Manager, users can build PAC...
JuiceSSH
JuiceSSH is a popular SSH and terminal client app for Android. It enables you to securely connect to Linux or Unix servers, routers, switches, or other devices directly from your Android phone or tablet.Some key features of JuiceSSH include:Clean and intuitive interface with tabbed terminalsSupports multiple simultaneous SSH connectionsKeyboard shortcuts...
IFile
iFile is a full-featured file manager and browser for iOS devices like iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. It provides complete access to the file system on your device and allows you to easily browse, view, edit, copy, move, delete and organize your files and folders.Some key features of iFile include:Intuitive...
Solar-PuTTY
Solar-PuTTY is an enhanced, open-source version of the popular PuTTY SSH and telnet client for Windows. It provides all the functionality of PuTTY, allowing you to securely connect to Linux/UNIX servers, routers, and other devices via SSH or telnet protocols.The key advantages of Solar-PuTTY over standard PuTTY are:Cloud storage for...
ZOC
ZOC is a full-featured professional terminal emulator and SSH client for macOS and Windows operating systems. It has been developed by EmTek GmbH since the 1990s and has a strong reputation for being a reliable and efficient terminal software.Some of the key features of ZOC include:Supports major terminal protocols like...
ConnectBot
ConnectBot is a popular open-source SSH and telnet client for the Android operating system. It enables users to securely connect to Linux or Unix servers, routers, switches, and other devices from their Android smartphones or tablets in order to manage them remotely.Some of the key features of ConnectBot include:Supports SSH...
Zterm
Zterm is a free, open source terminal emulator application for Windows. It aims to provide a basic set of terminal features for connecting to systems via protocols like SSH and Telnet.As an open source project, Zterm is developed and maintained by a community of volunteers. It is released under the...
Dropbear SSH Server and Client
Dropbear is a free and open source Secure Shell (SSH) server and client for Linux, UNIX and Windows operating systems. It is designed to be compact, lightweight and memory-efficient, making it well-suited for resource-constrained environments like embedded systems.As an SSH server, Dropbear allows secure remote logins over an encrypted connection,...
SFTP Server
SFTP Server is software designed to receive, store, and transfer files over a network using the SSH File Transfer Protocol. It allows remote users to access a filesystem over a secure SSH connection and perform file operations such as uploading, downloading, deleting, moving, and renaming files and folders.Unlike traditional FTP...
Putty for Mac
Putty is a very popular SSH and telnet client application for Windows that allows users to remotely access Linux or Unix servers. It provides a simple interface to connect using secure shell (SSH) or telnet protocols. However, Putty is not available for Mac OS.Some great alternatives for Mac users include:Termius...
Muon SSH/SFTP client (formerly Snowflake)
Muon SSH/SFTP client (formerly known as Snowflake) is a free and open source secure file transfer application used to connect to remote servers and transfer files using the SSH and SFTP protocols. It works on Windows, macOS and Linux.Some key features of Muon SSH/SFTP client include:Intuitive graphical user interface for...
WindTerm
WindTerm is a free, open-source, and lightweight terminal emulator for Windows. It aims to provide a modern and user-friendly terminal experience with features such as:Multiple tabbed terminalsHorizontal and vertical split panesCustomizable themes and stylesTransparency effects and background image supportShortcut keys for common operationsSupports PowerShell, Command Prompt, WSL, Git Bash, etcSessions...
MacTerm
MacTerm is a popular terminal emulator application designed specifically for the macOS operating system. It provides users with a command line interface to access the Unix shell and run various commands and programs in a text-based environment.Some of the key features of MacTerm include:Supports common Unix shells like Bash, Zsh,...
OpenSSH for Windows
OpenSSH for Windows is a free and open source implementation of the SSH protocol for the Windows operating system. Developed by Microsoft, OpenSSH provides encryption and authentication tools for remote login and file transfer between Windows and Linux/Unix systems.Some key features of OpenSSH for Windows include:Client and server functionality for...
Tectia SSH Client
Tectia SSH Client is a feature-rich and versatile secure shell (SSH) client for establishing encrypted network connections, transferring files and setting up secure tunnels on Linux, Windows and Unix platforms. Some of the key capabilities and benefits of Tectia SSH Client include:Strong encryption using AES, Triple DES, Blowfish and other...
Get Console
Get Console is an advanced console (command prompt) replacement for Windows. It provides a tabbed interface that allows you to open multiple command prompts in the same window and easily switch between them. Some of the key features of Get Console include:Tabbed interface for running multiple command promptsSearchable command historyText...
PSSH
PSSH (Portable SSH) is an open-source SSH server program designed to prioritize simplicity, small size, and security. It is developed and maintained by the OpenBSD team to provide a minimal and dependency-free SSH server option.Unlike more complex SSH servers like OpenSSH, PSSH aims to offer only essential SSH protocol features...
CerberusFTP
CerberusFTP is a free, open-source FTP server for Windows that has been under active development since 2005. It supports standard FTP as well as secure protocols including SFTP, FTPS, and FTP/TLS.Key features include:User account permissions and quotas to control access and disk usageBandwidth throttling to limit speeds per userComprehensive IP...
FreeSSHd
FreeSSHd is a free and open-source SSH server for Windows operating systems. It allows users to remotely access a Windows machine using SSH clients and utilize functionality like secure remote login, file transfer, and tunneling.Some key features of FreeSSHd include:Lightweight and easy to install on Windows machinesSupports key-based user authentication...
CrushFTP
CrushFTP is a fully featured FTP server software developed by Ben Spink. It runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS platforms and supports all major FTP protocols including SSL/TLS encryption.Some of the key features of CrushFTP include:Bandwidth throttling and speed limits to control user access and bandwidth utilizationComprehensive IP filtering and...
SmarTTY
SmarTTY is a popular free SSH and telnet client for Windows. It provides secure command line access to Linux and other systems from a Windows desktop or server.Some key features of SmarTTY include:Supports SSH ( Secure Shell) protocols including SSH1, SSH2, SCP, and SFTPTabbed interface for handling multiple sessionsPort forwarding...
ShellCraft
ShellCraft is a fast and user-friendly bash shell for Linux and UNIX-like operating systems. It is fully compatible with bash and includes additional features for power users and system administrators.Some key features of ShellCraft include:Enhanced tab completion with suggestions, descriptions, and fuzzy matchingSyntax highlighting for clear visual code structureExtensive history...
SwiFTP
SwiFTP is a free, open source FTP server application designed for Android devices. It enables users to set up an FTP server directly on their Android phone or tablet, allowing remote access to files stored on the device from a desktop computer or laptop.Some key features of SwiFTP include:Lightweight app...
ISpirit
iSpirit is mind mapping and brainstorming software used to visualize ideas, organize information, and structure thoughts. With iSpirit, users can create colorful, tree-structured idea maps to connect concepts and related items. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for individuals and teams to quickly brainstorm ideas and thoughts and see...
SSH Explorer
SSH Explorer is an SSH and SFTP client application for Windows that provides secure and reliable access to Linux and Unix servers. It allows you to establish an encrypted SSH connection to remote hosts to manage files, execute commands, transfer data, and forward ports.Some key features of SSH Explorer include:Intuitive...
Buru SFTP Server for Windows
Buru SFTP Server for Windows is a free and open-source Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) server. It allows Windows users to set up an SFTP server on their system to securely transfer files over SSH.Some key features of Buru SFTP Server include:Lightweight and easy to install and configure on WindowsSupports...
Copssh
Copssh is a cross-platform SSH and RDP client for secure remote access and administration. Developed as an open-source alternative to proprietary solutions like PuTTY or SecureCRT, Copssh provides the following features:Secure shell (SSH) client for remote terminal access, file transfers and tunnelingRemote desktop protocol (RDP) client for Windows systems administrationMulti-tabbed...
SFTP/SCP Server
An SFTP/SCP server is software that allows secure file transfers over SSH protocol. SFTP stands for SSH File Transfer Protocol, while SCP stands for Secure Copy Protocol. Both utilize SSH for encrypted data transfer.A key benefit of SFTP/SCP servers is providing secure and encrypted file transfers between a server and...
ZFTPServer Suite
zFTPServer Suite is a versatile FTP server software for Windows that offers a wide range of features for business and personal use. Developed by Västgöta-Data AB based in Sweden, it supports all major FTP protocols including FTP, FTPS, SFTP, TFTP and HTTPS.It comes with an easy-to-use administrative interface to manage...
MobileTerminal
MobileTerminal is a terminal emulator and SSH client developed specifically for the iOS operating system. It allows users to access the filesystem on their iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch devices through a command line interface and run Unix-like commands to perform advanced tasks.Some key features of MobileTerminal include:Full access to...
Warpgate Bastion
Warpgate Bastion is an open-source alternative to Cloudflare Access that helps secure access to internal web applications. It acts as an authentication gateway or bastion that sits between the public internet and private internal applications.When users try to access an internal web app protected by Warpgate Bastion, they are redirected...
MobaSSH
MobaSSH is a versatile and easy-to-use SSH, Telnet, and Mosh client available across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. As an open-source tool, MobaSSH offers secure remote access and administration of Linux and Unix servers through an intuitive tabbed interface.Some of the standout features of MobaSSH include:Secure SSH connections with...
Vshell
vshell is an open-source virtualization management tool that provides a unified shell interface for managing virtual machines and containers. It is designed to simplify the management of virtualized infrastructure by providing easy access and control of VMs and containers from a single tool.Some key features of vshell include:Create and configure...
CompleteFTP
CompleteFTP is a powerful yet user-friendly FTP client application for Windows. Developed by Enterprise Distributed Technologies Ltd, CompleteFTP aims to provide an efficient and reliable tool for transferring files via the File Transfer Protocol (FTP).Key features of CompleteFTP include:Intuitive drag-and-drop interface for fast and simple file transfersAbility to create multiple...
Kpym
Kpym is an open-source JavaScript library developed specifically for newsrooms to build responsive web experiences. It was created by NPR Visuals Team to help news organizations create templates and embed code that could adapt to different screen sizes and devices.One of the key features of Kpym is its ability to...
SSHDroid
SSHDroid is an open source SSH server application for Android devices that allows you to access your device's Linux command line shell remotely over SSH. Some key features of SSHDroid include:Enables secure remote shell access to your Android device from a computer or another deviceSupports file transfers using SFTPAllows port...
NewTerm
newTerm is a personal knowledge management and note taking application. It provides a flexible system for capturing, organizing, and sharing information.Some of the key features of newTerm include:Hierarchical note organization using tags and links between notesSupport for attachments like images, PDFs, documents to embed into notesPowerful full-text search to instantly...
NetCrypt
NetCrypt is an open-source, cross-platform file encryption software that allows users to securely encrypt their files and folders. It utilizes strong 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access.Some key features of NetCrypt include:Compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and Linux operating systemsEasy to use graphical...
SSH Cryptonaut
SSH Cryptonaut is an encrypted SSH and SFTP client application for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. It provides secure remote access, file transfer, and network tunneling capabilities through the SSH protocol and SFTP file transfer protocol.The main focus of SSH Cryptonaut is on privacy and security. All connections are...
PowerShell Server
PowerShell Server is a server version of PowerShell, Microsoft's task automation and configuration management framework consisting of a command-line shell and scripting language. It is built on top of the .NET runtime and provides IT professionals and developers with powerful capabilities to automate administrative tasks and control system configurations and...
SSH Tunnel Manager (STM)
SSH Tunnel Manager (STM) is an open-source SSH client and tunnel manager application designed specifically for the Windows platform. It provides an intuitive graphical user interface that allows you to easily establish SSH tunnels without having to use the SSH command line.Some key features of STM include:Ability to create both...
Token2Shell
Token2Shell is an open-source command line tool written in Golang that generates reverse shells and payload executors by abusing authentication tokens or API keys. It works by using access tokens, API keys, or assumed role keys to invoke AWS API calls for unsigned S3 access. This allows attackers to exploit...
