macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install stunnellocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install stunnelMacPorts ports tree · security/stunnel/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install stunnel with Homebrew, apk, chocolatey, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, scoop, winget, zypper
SSL tunneling program. Version 5.79 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-29.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add stunnelAlpine Linux edge package indexes · stunnel · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install stunnelFedora Rawhide package metadata · stunnel · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#stunnelnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/st/stunnel/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S stunnelArch Linux sync databases · stunnel · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install stunnelopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · stunnel · source: download.opensuse.org
Windows
Chocolateyverified · 92%
choco install stunnelChocolatey community package catalog · stunnel · source: community.chocolatey.org
Scoopverified · 92%
scoop install extras/stunnelScoop official bucket manifest trees · bucket/stunnel.json · source: api.github.com
Windows Package Managerverified · 92%
winget install --id MichalTrojnara.Stunnel -eWindows Package Manager source index · MichalTrojnara.Stunnel · source: cdn.winget.microsoft.com
overview
Package summary
SSL tunneling program
Project links
Commands and aliases
- stunnel
- stunnel3
history
Project history and usage
stunnel is a long-running TLS wrapper proxy used to add TLS encryption to clients and servers that do not speak TLS themselves.
Project history
The official changelog records stunnel 0.1 as a testing skeleton on 1998-02-10 and stunnel 1.0 on 1998-02-11 as the first version with SSL support. That makes it one of the older still-packaged command-line TLS utilities in Unix and Windows ecosystems.
The project has remained focused on wrapping arbitrary TCP services with SSL/TLS rather than replacing the underlying application protocol. Its manual and HOWTO present configuration as service sections that accept local connections and connect or execute another service behind the encrypted layer.
Adoption history
The input package facts list stunnel in Homebrew, Alpine, Fedora/DNF, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, Chocolatey, Scoop, WinGet, and openSUSE/Zypper. That breadth reflects stunnel's role as a portable operational tool rather than a single-platform utility.
The official downloads page publishes source tarballs, Windows installers, Android builds, signatures, checksums, and rsync-accessible code archives, showing a release process designed for downstream packagers and administrators.
How it is used
Administrators use stunnel to put TLS in front of non-TLS-aware services or to create encrypted client-side tunnels to remote services. The manual describes global options plus per-service sections containing options such as accept, connect, certificates, keys, and verification settings.
Common package usage is configuration-file driven: install the package, write stunnel.conf service blocks, provide certificates or keys where needed, and supervise stunnel as a daemon or service.
Why package nerds care
stunnel matters to package nerds because it is a classic tiny Unix tool with a huge compatibility surface: C code, OpenSSL linkage, service-manager integration, certificate file handling, Windows installers, and distribution patches all meet in one package.
It is also a practical example of packaging security middleware. The package is not exciting because it owns an application protocol; it is important because it lets old or simple services survive in TLS-required environments.
Timeline
- 1998: stunnel 0.1 testing skeleton and stunnel 1.0 with SSL support appeared in the official changelog.
- 2014: stunnel 5-era releases continued active OpenSSL security updates, including OpenSSL DLL updates during major vulnerability periods.
- 2026: The official release list shows stunnel 5.79 released on 2026-06-29.
Related projects
- OpenSSL is the cryptographic library stunnel relies on for TLS functionality.
- TCP Wrappers/libwrap appears in the manual as an optional access-control integration.
Sources
security posture
Risk level: orange
formula declares a Homebrew service.
Risk classifier
orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure
Why
- formula declares a Homebrew service
Signals
- metadata:service
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Formula metadata declares a service or daemon block.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 1 runtime 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
<config-folder>/stunnel.conf
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
stunnel | cli | global executable | |
stunnel3 | 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 version5.79
manager updated2026-06-29
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.stunnel.org/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:stunnel |
|---|---|
| Version | 5.79 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/stunnel |
| Homepage | https://www.stunnel.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/mtrojnar/stunnel |
| Upstream docs | https://www.stunnel.org/docs.html |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://www.stunnel.org/downloads/stunnel-5.79.tar.gz |
| Last updated | 2026-06-29T16:45:11Z |
| Pulse | updated |
| Dependencies | openssl@3 |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | declared |
| Caveats | A bogus SSL server certificate has been installed to: $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/etc/stunnel/stunnel.pem This certificate will be used by default unless a config file says otherwise! Stunnel will refuse to load the sample configuration file if left unedited. In your stunnel configuration, specify a SSL certificate with the "cert =" option for each service. To use Stunnel with Homebrew services, make sure to set "foreground = yes" in your Stunnel configuration. |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | stunnel |
| 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.
Nix95%
stunnel
nix profile install nixpkgs#stunnel- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
apk95%
stunnel 5.76-r0
SSL encryption wrapper between network client and server
sudo apk add stunnel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: stunnel
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
apk95%
stunnel-doc 5.76-r0
SSL encryption wrapper between network client and server (documentation)
sudo apk add stunnel-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: stunnel
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
apk95%
stunnel-openrc 5.76-r0
SSL encryption wrapper between network client and server (OpenRC init scripts)
sudo apk add stunnel-openrc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: stunnel
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
apk95%
stunnel3 5.76-r0
Perl wrapper to use stunnel 3.x syntax in stunnel >=4.05
sudo apk add stunnel3- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: stunnel
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
dnf95%
stunnel 5.78-1.fc45
A TLS-encrypting socket wrapper
sudo dnf install stunnel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH stunnel-exception AND MIT
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: stunnel
- 7 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
pacman95%
stunnel 5.78-1
A program that allows you to encrypt arbitrary TCP connections inside SSL
sudo pacman -S stunnel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
zypper95%
stunnel 5.78-1.1
Universal TLS Tunnel
sudo zypper install stunnel- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Productivity/Networking/Security
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: stunnel
- 13 dependencies
- 4 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
zypper95%
stunnel-doc 5.78-1.1
Documentation for the universal TLS Tunnel
sudo zypper install stunnel-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later
- Category: Documentation/Other
- Architecture: noarch
- Source Package: stunnel
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
MacPorts95%
stunnel
sudo port install stunnel- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
Chocolatey95%
stunnel
choco install stunnel- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
Scoop95%
extras/stunnel
scoop install extras/stunnel- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
winget95%
MichalTrojnara.Stunnel
winget install --id MichalTrojnara.Stunnel -e- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Stunnel
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 configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment