install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install dns2tcp

local Homebrew formula metadata

MacPortsverified · 94%

sudo port install dns2tcp

MacPorts ports tree · net/dns2tcp/Portfile · source: api.github.com

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install dns2tcp

Debian stable package indexes · dns2tcp · source: deb.debian.org

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#dns2tcp

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/dn/dns2tcp/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

TCP over DNS tunnel

Project links

Commands and aliases

dns2tcpc
dns2tcpd

history

Project history and usage

dns2tcp is a client/server tool for relaying TCP connections over DNS. It belongs to the older family of DNS-tunneling utilities used for constrained networks, demonstrations, and security testing rather than general-purpose VPN service.

Project history

The upstream ChangeLog marks version 0.3 as the public release and records later fixes for 64-bit architectures, DNS decoding, privilege dropping, client authentication, and Windows client support. The README is explicit that DNS encapsulation is not encrypted and should be treated as an insecure transport.

Adoption history

dns2tcp stayed visible because it solves one very specific network problem with small C tools: a client, a server, and simple resource mappings. Distribution packaging kept it available for administrators and security testers who need a TCP-over-DNS tunnel without a broader VPN stack.

How it is used

The README shows using dns2tcpc to list available remote resources, bind a local port to a remote service, or run from ~/.dns2tcprc. Server use centers on ~/.dns2tcpdrc, where the operator defines the DNS domain, key, and named resources such as ssh or smtp targets.

Why package nerds care

Package nerds care about dns2tcp because it is a classic small-network-tool package: narrow, risky if misunderstood, but valuable in labs and incident-response toolboxes because it demonstrates TCP-over-DNS behavior with minimal moving parts.

Timeline

0.3: Public release.
0.4: 64-bit architectures start working.
0.5: Client authentication, Windows client support, and proxy-style use are added.
0.5.2: OpenSSL includes are removed after earlier library cleanup.

Related projects

iodine is a related DNS-tunneling project focused on IP-over-DNS rather than TCP-over-DNS.
ssh ProxyCommand workflows are a common adjacent use case for dns2tcpc.

Sources

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 13 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.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix: ~/.dns2tcprc~/.dns2tcpdrc

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: ~/.dns2tcprc~/.dns2tcpdrc

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`dns2tcpc`	cli	global executable
`dns2tcpd`	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 version0.5.2

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://packages.debian.org/sid/dns2tcp

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://packages.debian.org/sid/dns2tcpnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:dns2tcp
Version	0.5.2
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/dns2tcp
Homepage	https://packages.debian.org/sid/dns2tcp
Repository	https://github.com/alex-sector/dns2tcp
Upstream docs	https://github.com/alex-sector/dns2tcp
License	GPL-2.0-or-later
Source archive	https://deb.debian.org/debian/pool/main/d/dns2tcp/dns2tcp_0.5.2.orig.tar.gz
Bottle	available (on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura, 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	dns2tcp
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Debian apt95%

dns2tcp 0.5.2-3

TCP-over-DNS tunnel server and client

http://www.hsc.fr/ressources/outils/dns2tcp/

sudo apt install dns2tcp

Section: net
Architecture: amd64
3 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Dns2tcp

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: dns2tcp from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Nix95%

dns2tcp

nix profile install nixpkgs#dns2tcp

normalized package name match
Matched by: Dns2tcp

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dn/dns2tcp/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

Ubuntu apt95%

dns2tcp 0.5.2-3

TCP-over-DNS tunnel server and client

http://www.hsc.fr/ressources/outils/dns2tcp/

sudo apt install dns2tcp

Section: universe/net
Architecture: amd64
3 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Dns2tcp

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dns2tcp from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

MacPorts95%

dns2tcp

sudo port install dns2tcp

normalized package name match
Matched by: Dns2tcp

MacPorts ports tree · api.github.com · MacPorts ports tree: net/dns2tcp/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

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.

combined/dns2tcp.yml

Used sources

Geiger risk classifier
Nucleus package database
av.db category and tag curation
cross-ecosystem install command graph
curated configuration and credential file locations
curated package history
external package-manager database matches
package relationship graph
package version freshness
package-page enrichment

Install dns2tcp with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix