stunnel

Stunnel

stunnel is an open-source software used to provide secure encrypted connections by wrapping existing TCP-based network protocols. It can be used to add TLS encryption to non-TLS aware applications.
Security & Privacy Encryption
stunnel image
encryption tls ssl tunneling proxy
Stunnel alternatives ➤

Stunnel: Open-Source Secure Encrypted Connection Software

Stunnel is an open-source software that provides secure encrypted connections by wrapping existing TCP-based network protocols, adding TLS encryption to non-TLS aware applications.

What is Stunnel?

stunnel is an open source software used to provide secure encrypted connections for clients and servers that do not support encryption themselves. It works by wrapping existing TCP-based protocols to add TLS (Transport Layer Security) or SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encryption.

Some key features of stunnel include:

  • Ability to encrypt non-TLS aware network protocols and tunnel them through an encrypted SSL connection
  • Can be used with many TCP-based applications like POP3, IMAP, LDAP, etc to add encryption
  • Available for many platforms like Windows, Linux, BSD, etc
  • Lightweight and easy to configure
  • Can be used in client mode or server mode
  • Supports certificate authentication
  • Logs activity for troubleshooting

stunnel is useful for system administrators or developers that need to add TLS encryption to legacy applications or protocols that do not have encryption built-in. For example, using stunnel with a POP3 mail server allows the data to be transmitted securely through an encrypted tunnel between the client and server. stunnel can help improve the security of non-TLS aware network applications without having to completely replace or redesign them.

Stunnel Features

Features

  1. SSL/TLS encryption wrapper
  2. Can encrypt non-SSL aware network protocols
  3. Works as SSL client and/or server
  4. Supports X.509 certificates
  5. Logging and access control

Pricing

  • Open Source

Pros

Open source and free

Wide protocol support

Portable C codebase

Mature and stable

Good documentation

Cons

Configuration can be complex

Not user friendly

Limited to TCP protocols only

Requires OpenSSL

No graphical interface

Official Links

Official Website
https://www.stunnel.org

The Best Stunnel Alternatives

Top Security & Privacy and Encryption and other similar apps like Stunnel

Here are some alternatives to Stunnel:

V2Ray icon
V2Ray
Shadowrocket icon
Shadowrocket
Shadowsocks icon
Shadowsocks
Gobetween icon
gobetween
Hitch TLS Proxy icon
Hitch TLS Proxy
Suggest an alternative ❐

V2Ray icon

V2Ray

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Shadowrocket

Shadowrocket is a popular VPN application designed specifically for iOS devices like iPhones and iPads. It provides a simple way for users to configure a VPN connection and tunnel all their device's internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a remote server.Some of the key features of Shadowrocket include:Intuitive user...
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Shadowsocks icon

Shadowsocks

Shadowsocks is an open-source, cross-platform proxy tool originally created in 2012 by a Chinese developer named clowwindy. It works by creating an encrypted connection between the Shadowsocks client installed on a user's device and a Shadowsocks server installed on a remote server.The encrypted connection helps users bypass firewalls and access...
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Gobetween

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Hitch TLS Proxy

Hitch TLS Proxy is an open-source TLS proxy written in C that is designed to terminate TLS connections and act as a HTTPS reverse proxy. It was created by Varnish Software and focuses on providing a secure, flexible, high-performance TLS proxy solution.Some key features and benefits of Hitch TLS Proxy...
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