macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install bgreplocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install bgrep with Homebrew
Like grep but for binary strings. Version 0.3 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-10.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Like grep but for binary strings
Project links
Commands and aliases
- bgrep
history
Project history and usage
bgrep is a tiny binary-pattern search utility: grep-like in spirit, but aimed at byte sequences in binary files rather than text lines.
Project history
The README gives the origin story plainly: the author was annoyed that grep could not look for binary strings and wrote a tool for that job. The GitHub repository was created in 2010, has a small tag history, and remains a compact C utility rather than a broad search framework.
Adoption history
The input metadata records Homebrew packaging for bgrep. Its adoption is correspondingly modest and toolbelt-oriented: useful enough to package, but intentionally small.
How it is used
bgrep searches for a hex byte pattern, can recurse through directories, can print before/after context bytes, can read a pattern from a file, and can apply a mask file for wildcard bytes. When no path is given, it reads standard input.
Why package nerds care
The package is significant in the classic Unix sense: one C file, one executable, one missing behavior from grep filled without pulling in a larger forensic suite. It is handy for firmware, image, dump, and protocol-payload spelunking.
Timeline
- 2010: Initial GitHub commit.
- 2011: bgrep-0.2 tag appears.
- 2026: bgrep-0.3 tag updates README usage around context flags.
Related projects
- The obvious related tool is grep(1), which the README names as the motivation. It also overlaps with hex editors, hexdump/xxd workflows, and binary-analysis command-line tools.
Sources
- https://api.github.com/repos/tmbinc/bgrep
- https://github.com/tmbinc/bgrep#readme
- input.source_facts.package-manager
security posture
Risk level: green
narrow executable package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- narrow executable package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:no-higher-risk-signals
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
bgrep | cli | global executable |
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 generated2026-07-08
manager version0.3
manager updated2026-06-10
local dataok
upstreamcurrent
latest detectedbgrep-0.3
https://github.com/tmbinc/bgrep
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:bgrep |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.3 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/bgrep |
| Homepage | https://github.com/tmbinc/bgrep |
| Repository | https://github.com/tmbinc/bgrep |
| Upstream docs | https://github.com/tmbinc/bgrep#readme |
| License | BSD-2-Clause |
| Source archive | https://github.com/tmbinc/bgrep/archive/refs/tags/bgrep-0.3.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-10T03:29:15Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | bgrep |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Head Version | HEAD |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment