install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%

brew install telnetd

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Debian aptverified · 92%

sudo apt install telnetd

Debian stable package indexes · telnetd · source: deb.debian.org

overview

Package summary

TELNET server

Project links

Commands and aliases

No executable aliases were found in the local package database.

history

Project history and usage

telnetd is the server-side daemon for the TELNET virtual terminal protocol. The Apple-distributed BSD manpage describes it as a DARPA TELNET protocol server normally invoked by `inetd` for requests to the TELNET port listed in `/etc/services`.

Project history

Like the client, telnetd belongs to the BSD TCP/IP remote-command family, with University of California copyright dates beginning in 1983. Its manual history and FreeBSD provenance show the daemon as operating-system infrastructure rather than a new standalone application.

The daemon implements the protocol standardized by RFC 854 and the option negotiation system documented by RFC 855. The manpage describes support for line mode, authentication modes when compiled in, optional encryption debugging, TCP keep-alives, TOS settings, alternate login programs, and manual debug startup.

Adoption history

telnetd was historically the server counterpart to the ubiquitous telnet client and was commonly launched from an internet super-server. As secure shell became the expected remote-login mechanism, telnetd moved from default infrastructure to an optional package used for legacy environments, labs, embedded-device testing, and protocol compatibility.

Its narrower package-manager footprint compared with the telnet client reflects that shift: installing a TELNET server is operationally riskier and less common than keeping a TELNET client for diagnostics.

How it is used

The manpage says telnetd is normally invoked by `inetd`, but can be started manually with debugging enabled and an alternate TCP port. It delegates user verification to `login` unless authentication support and stricter modes are configured.

In the package-nerd niche, telnetd is mostly used to recreate old Unix remote-login behavior, test TELNET option negotiation, exercise clients, or run controlled legacy services. It is rarely a recommended production remote-access daemon.

Why package nerds care

telnetd is significant as the daemon half of one of the Internet's oldest terminal protocols. Its optional packaging documents the post-SSH fate of insecure network daemons: retained for compatibility and testing, but separated from default installs.

The formula is also useful to people studying inetd-era service activation, terminal negotiation, and the historical relationship between network daemons, `/etc/services`, and login programs.

Timeline

1983: RFC 854 standardized TELNET.
1983: RFC 855 specified TELNET option documentation and assignment.
1983-1994: BSD telnetd manpage lineage records University of California copyrights and Berkeley manual revisions.
2005: FreeBSD provenance in the manpage reflects continued maintenance of the BSD-derived daemon.

Related projects

telnet is the companion client.
inetd and login are part of the traditional operating-system context in which telnetd runs.
sshd replaced telnetd for secure interactive remote login on modern systems.

Sources

https://github.com/apple-oss-distributions/remote_cmds/blob/main/telnetd/telnetd.8
https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc854.txt
https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc855.txt
source_facts.package-manager

security posture

No protected-tool coverage found yet

No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for telnetd. Nucleus package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.

Install behavior

No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 4 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.

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: /etc/services/etc/gettytab/etc/iptos

executables

Installed executables

Command	Kind	Exposure	Note
No executable data was present.

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 version308

manager updated2026-04-22

local dataok

upstreamnot checked

latest detectednot detected

https://github.com/apple-oss-distributions/remote_cmds

infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/apple-oss-distributions/remote_cmdsnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package key	brew:telnetd
Version	308
Package manager	Homebrew
Package manager page	https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/telnetd
Homepage	https://opensource.apple.com/
Repository	https://github.com/apple-oss-distributions/remote_cmds
Upstream docs	https://github.com/apple-oss-distributions/remote_cmds/blob/main/telnetd/telnetd.8
License	BSD-4-Clause-UC AND BSD-3-Clause
Source archive	https://github.com/apple-oss-distributions/remote_cmds/archive/refs/tags/remote_cmds-308.tar.gz
Last updated	2026-04-22T01:04:14Z
Pulse	updated
Bottle	available (on arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma)
Homebrew post-install	not defined
Service	none declared
Caveats	You may need super-user privileges to run this program properly. See the man page for more details.

registry facts

Source database details

Source Database	Homebrew formula API
Tap	homebrew/core
Full Name	telnetd
Version Scheme	0
Revision	0
Requirements	macos xcode
Bottle Stable Root URL	https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecated	no
Disabled	no
Keg Only	no
URL Keys	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.

Debian apt95%

telnetd 0.17+2.6-3+deb13u3

transitional dummy package for inetutils-telnetd default switch

https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/

sudo apt install telnetd

Section: oldlibs
Architecture: all
Source Package: inetutils
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Telnetd

Debian stable package indexes · deb.debian.org · Debian stable package indexes: telnetd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz

Ubuntu apt95%

telnetd 0.17+2.5-3ubuntu4

transitional dummy package for inetutils-telnetd default switch

https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/

sudo apt install telnetd

Section: universe/net
Architecture: all
Source Package: inetutils
2 dependencies
normalized package name match
Matched by: Telnetd

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes · archive.ubuntu.com · Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: telnetd from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz

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/telnetd.yml

Used sources

Nucleus package database
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 telnetd with Homebrew, apt