install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install spiffe-helper

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%

nix profile install nixpkgs#spiffe-helper

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/sp/spiffe-helper/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Tool that can be used to retrieve and manage SVIDs on behalf of a workload

Project links

Commands and aliases

spiffe-helper

history

Project history and usage

SPIFFE Helper is a small command-line utility in the SPIFFE ecosystem for fetching and renewing SVID material from the SPIFFE Workload API on behalf of another process.

Project history

The public GitHub repository was created in October 2017. Its README describes the tool as a helper that fetches X.509 SVID certificates, launches or signals a process that uses them, and refreshes certificates before expiry.

Adoption history

Its package-manager footprint is niche but practical: the input records Homebrew and Nix packages, matching the kind of operator tool that appears in Unix package sets once workload identity moves from platform design into day-to-day deployment.

How it is used

Typical use is `spiffe-helper -config <config_file>`, with `helper.conf` as the documented default. The README documents daemon and one-shot modes, file output under a configured certificate directory, and integration patterns where a supervisor such as systemd owns the real service.

Why package nerds care

Package maintainers care about SPIFFE Helper because it turns SPIFFE/SPIRE workload identity into ordinary files and signals: a familiar Unix packaging surface for certificates, keys, bundles, and reload hooks.

Timeline

2017: Public GitHub repository created.
2025: v0.10.0 added health-server related changes in the release notes.
2025: v0.11.0 release notes include a new `-version` flag.

Related projects

SPIFFE
SPIRE
go-spiffe
systemd
ghostunnel

Sources

https://api.github.com/repos/spiffe/spiffe-helper
https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper
https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper/releases
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.
Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

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: helper.conf

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix: certs/svid.pemcerts/svid_key.pemcerts/svid_bundle.pemcerts/jwt_svid.tokencerts/bundle.json

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
`spiffe-helper`	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 version0.11.0

manager updated

local dataok

upstreamcurrent

latest detectedv0.11.0

https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper

infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:spiffe-helper
Version	0.11.0
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/spiffe-helper
Homepage	https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper
Repository	https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper
Upstream docs	https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper#readme
License	Apache-2.0
Source archive	https://github.com/spiffe/spiffe-helper/archive/refs/tags/v0.11.0.tar.gz
Build dependencies	go
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	spiffe-helper
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	head 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.

Nix95%

spiffe-helper

nix profile install nixpkgs#spiffe-helper

normalized package name match
Matched by: Spiffe Helper

nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/sp/spiffe-helper/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/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/spiffe-helper.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 spiffe-helper with Homebrew, Nix