# 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 ```sh sudo av install brew:kstart ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install kstart ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add kstart ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kstart from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install kstart ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: kstart from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install kstart ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: kstart 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#kstart ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ks/kstart/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:kstart - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 4.3 - **Source summary:** Modified version of kinit that can use keytabs to authenticate - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT AND FSFAP AND ISC - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - k5start (cli) - krenew (cli) - k5start (alias) - krenew (alias) ## Uses from macOS - krb5 ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 4.3 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## 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 Notes narrow executable package without higher-risk signals. - **Geiger risk:** green / low - narrow executable package without higher-risk signals ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** kstart - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - kstart - 4.3-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: kstart from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | Kerberos kinit supporting AFS and ticket refreshing | https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/ - Nix - kstart: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ks/kstart/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - kstart - 4.3-1: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: kstart from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | Kerberos kinit supporting AFS and ticket refreshing | https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/ - apk - kstart - 4.3-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kstart from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Port of kinit for automated refreshing of service kerberos tickets | https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/ - apk - kstart-doc - 4.3-r1: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: kstart-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Port of kinit for automated refreshing of service kerberos tickets (documentation) | https://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/ - dnf - kstart - 4.3-16.fc45: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: kstart from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | Daemon version of kinit for Kerberos v5 | http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/software/kstart/ ## 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. - [Security and crypto packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/security-crypto-tools/) - Matched security, identity, cryptography, password, signing, or certificate metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [msktutil](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/msktutil/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: authentication, cli, kerberos, keytab, security. - [heimdal](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/heimdal/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: authentication, cli, kerberos, security. - [krb5](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/krb5/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: authentication, cli, kerberos, security. - [cyrus-sasl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cyrus-sasl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: authentication, cli, security. - [google-authenticator-libpam](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/google-authenticator-libpam/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: authentication, cli, security. - [libjwt](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libjwt/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: authentication, cli, security. - [libu2f-server](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libu2f-server/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: authentication, cli, security. - [libyubikey](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libyubikey/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: authentication, cli, security. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/kstart.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/kstart.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - 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