# Install dropbear with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix, pacman Small SSH server/client for POSIX-based system. Version 2026.94 via Homebrew; verified 2026-07-23. Also installable with debian: sudo apt install dropbear. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:dropbear ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install dropbear ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add dropbear ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install dropbear ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: dropbear from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install dropbear ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: dropbear from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#dropbear ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dr/dropbear/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S dropbear ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: dropbear from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:dropbear - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2026.94 - **Source summary:** Small SSH server/client for POSIX-based system - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-07-23T16:36:51Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-25T07:20:51+00:00 ## Executables - dbclient (cli) - dropbear (cli) - dropbearconvert (cli) - dropbearkey (cli) - dbclient (alias) - dropbear (alias) - dropbearconvert (alias) - dropbearkey (alias) ## Uses from macOS - libxcrypt ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-25 - Package-manager version: 2026.94 - Package-manager updated: 2026-07-23 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage Dropbear is a compact SSH server and client suite for POSIX systems, best known in package-manager culture as the SSH implementation people reach for when OpenSSH is too large or too operationally heavy. It provides `dropbear` for the server, `dbclient` for the client, and key/conversion utilities in a deliberately small package. ### Project history Dropbear development started in October 2002, with the first public release, 0.28, appearing on April 6, 2003. The early changelog shows the project quickly adding practical SSH server features such as syslog support, X11 forwarding, agent forwarding, local TCP forwarding, OpenSSH key conversion, and Debian packaging support during 2003. The project has remained active for decades rather than becoming a frozen embedded artifact. Its current changelog includes 2026 releases with security fixes, scp hardening, algorithm-query support, forwarding improvements, and behavior changes made in response to modern SSH and libc realities. ### Adoption history Dropbear was adopted heavily by embedded Linux distributions, rescue environments, routers, initramfs setups, and minimal systems because it can provide SSH access with a much smaller footprint than a full OpenSSH deployment. Its package availability across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, Alpine, and Nix reflects that cross-platform utility. ### How it is used Typical package usage includes running `dropbear` as a lightweight SSH daemon, using `dbclient` as a small SSH client, generating host keys with `dropbearkey`, and converting keys with `dropbearconvert`. The documented host-key paths and OpenSSH-compatible authorized_keys behavior make it especially useful where users need interoperable SSH without installing the full OpenSSH stack. ### Why package nerds care Dropbear is package-nerd significant because it embodies the classic small-tools tradeoff: enough SSH compatibility for real deployments, intentionally less bulk than OpenSSH, and build-time options for constrained systems. It is also one of the few packages whose value is obvious both to embedded firmware builders and to people maintaining recovery shells on ordinary Unix systems. ### Timeline - 2002: Development starts in October. - 2003: Dropbear 0.28 is released as the initial public release. - 2003: `dropbearconvert`, Debian packaging support, X11 forwarding, agent forwarding, and early TCP forwarding appear in subsequent 0.3x releases. - 2026: Releases 2026.90 and 2026.91 include security, scp, forwarding, and compatibility fixes. ### Related projects - OpenSSH is the main compatibility reference and the larger alternative implementation. - LibTomCrypt and LibTomMath were part of Dropbear's early cryptographic/math dependency story. - BusyBox-style and embedded Linux systems are common deployment neighbors because they share the same small-footprint design pressure. ### Sources - - - - ## Security Notes No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for dropbear. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL. ## 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. ## Credential files - Unix: ~/.ssh/authorized_keys, ~/.ssh/id_dropbear, /etc/dropbear/dropbear_rsa_host_key, /etc/dropbear/dropbear_dss_host_key, /etc/dropbear/dropbear_ecdsa_host_key, /etc/dropbear/dropbear_ed25519_host_key ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** dropbear - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - dropbear - 2025.89-1~deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: dropbear from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | lightweight SSH2 server and client - startup scripts | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - Debian apt - dropbear-bin - 2025.89-1~deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: dropbear-bin from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | lightweight SSH2 server and client - command line tools | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - Debian apt - dropbear-initramfs - 2025.89-1~deb13u1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: dropbear-initramfs from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | lightweight SSH2 server and client - initramfs integration | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - Nix - dropbear: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/dr/dropbear/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - dropbear - 2022.83-4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dropbear from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | lightweight SSH2 server and client - startup scripts | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - Ubuntu apt - dropbear-bin - 2022.83-4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dropbear-bin from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | lightweight SSH2 server and client - command line tools | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - Ubuntu apt - dropbear-initramfs - 2022.83-4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: dropbear-initramfs from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | lightweight SSH2 server and client - initramfs integration | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - apk - dropbear - 2026.91-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | small SSH 2 client/server designed for small memory environments | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - apk - dropbear-convert - 2026.91-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear-convert from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | dropbear dropbearconvert command | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - apk - dropbear-dbclient - 2026.91-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear-dbclient from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | dropbear dbclient command | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - apk - dropbear-doc - 2026.91-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | small SSH 2 client/server designed for small memory environments (documentation) | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - apk - dropbear-nftrules - 2026.91-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear-nftrules from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | small SSH 2 client/server designed for small memory environments (nftables ruleset) | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - apk - dropbear-openrc - 2026.91-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear-openrc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | small SSH 2 client/server designed for small memory environments (OpenRC init scripts) | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - apk - dropbear-scp - 2026.91-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear-scp from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | dropbear scp support | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - apk - dropbear-ssh - 2026.91-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: dropbear-ssh from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/main/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | dropbear ssh command (compatibility symlink for dbclient) | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html - dnf - dropbear - 2026.91-1.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: dropbear from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Lightweight SSH server and client | https://matt.ucc.asn.au/dropbear/dropbear.html ## Related links - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Web development packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/web-dev-tools/) - Matched web development metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [corkscrew](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/corkscrew/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ssh. - [gotun](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gotun/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ssh. - [lazyssh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/lazyssh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ssh. - [pssh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pssh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ssh. - [rospo](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/rospo/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ssh. - [assh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/assh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ssh. - [autossh](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/autossh/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ssh. - [c-kermit](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/c-kermit/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ssh. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/dropbear.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/dropbear.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph