macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install kstartlocal Homebrew formula metadata
brew
Install kstart with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, Nix
Modified version of kinit that can use keytabs to authenticate. Version 4.3 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add kstartAlpine Linux edge package indexes · kstart · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install kstartDebian stable package indexes · kstart · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install kstartFedora Rawhide package metadata · kstart · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#kstartnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ks/kstart/package.nix · source: api.github.com
overview
Package summary
Modified version of kinit that can use keytabs to authenticate
Project links
Commands and aliases
- k5start
- krenew
history
Project history and usage
kstart is Russ Allbery's Kerberos helper package containing k5start and krenew, modified kinit-like tools for obtaining, renewing, and maintaining Kerberos ticket caches for long-running processes.
Project history
The Eyrie documentation describes k5start as a modified version of kinit that can obtain credentials from a keytab, run as a daemon, refresh credentials periodically, and optionally obtain AFS tokens. krenew shares much of the role but renews an existing renewable ticket cache rather than obtaining new tickets from a password or keytab.
Adoption history
kstart's adoption is strongest in Kerberos-heavy Unix environments: servers, cron jobs, daemons, batch jobs, and AFS sites where ticket renewal should be handled outside the application. The project page links Debian packages and Debian package tracking, reflecting its place as a small infrastructure utility rather than an end-user application.
How it is used
Administrators use k5start to run a command with keytab-backed credentials and keep its ticket cache alive, or to run a daemon that refreshes credentials. Users use krenew when a renewable ticket cache exists and a long-running command needs renewal without storing a keytab.
Why package nerds care
kstart is a classic sysadmin package: small, security-sensitive, low-glamour, and essential in the places that need it. Its value is that it makes Kerberos ticket lifetime management scriptable and separable from the services that consume those tickets.
Timeline
- 2021-08-31: kstart 4.3 was released.
- 2021-08-31: The project page listed tar.gz and tar.xz release archives plus PGP signatures.
- 2021: The documentation described MIT Kerberos and Heimdal as the thoroughly tested Kerberos libraries on Debian.
Related projects
- Related projects include MIT Kerberos, Heimdal, kinit, AFS aklog, afslog, OpenAFS, and Debian Kerberos packaging.
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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
k5start | cli | global executable | |
krenew | 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 version4.3
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:kstart |
|---|---|
| Version | 4.3 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/kstart |
| Homepage | https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/ |
| Repository | https://git.eyrie.org/git/kerberos/kstart.git |
| Upstream docs | https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart |
| License | MIT AND FSFAP AND ISC |
| Source archive | https://archives.eyrie.org/software/kerberos/kstart-4.3.tar.xz |
| Uses from macOS | krb5 |
| 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 | kstart |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 0 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
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%
kstart 4.3-1
Kerberos kinit supporting AFS and ticket refreshing
https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/
sudo apt install kstart- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kstart
Nix95%
kstart
nix profile install nixpkgs#kstart- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kstart
Ubuntu apt95%
kstart 4.3-1
Kerberos kinit supporting AFS and ticket refreshing
https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/
sudo apt install kstart- Section: universe/net
- Architecture: amd64
- 3 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kstart
apk95%
kstart 4.3-r1
Port of kinit for automated refreshing of service kerberos tickets
https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/
sudo apk add kstart- License: custom
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: kstart
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kstart
apk95%
kstart-doc 4.3-r1
Port of kinit for automated refreshing of service kerberos tickets (documentation)
https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/
sudo apk add kstart-doc- License: custom
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: kstart
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kstart
dnf95%
kstart 4.3-16.fc45
Daemon version of kinit for Kerberos v5
http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/
sudo dnf install kstart- License: MIT
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: kstart
- 5 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Kstart
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
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment