macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install usbredirlocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install usbredirMacPorts ports tree · devel/usbredir/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install usbredir with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
USB traffic redirection library. Version 0.15.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add libusbredirhostAlpine Linux edge package indexes · libusbredirhost · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install libusbredirhost-devDebian stable package indexes · libusbredirhost-dev · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install usbredirFedora Rawhide package metadata · usbredir · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#usbredirnixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/us/usbredir/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S usbredirArch Linux sync databases · usbredir · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install libusbredirhost1openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · libusbredirhost1 · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
USB traffic redirection library
Project links
Commands and aliases
- usbredirect
history
Project history and usage
usbredir is both a network protocol for forwarding USB device traffic and the software package that implements it. The SPICE project documentation describes a parser library, a host-side library, and utilities that let a USB device attached to one machine appear inside another, commonly a virtual machine.
Project history
The official Git history begins with an initial usbredir import on 2011-02-03. The protocol documentation records version 0.2 as the version demonstrated at FOSDEM 2011 and version 0.3, released on 2011-07-14, as the first stable version intended for later compatibility.
Although created for SPICE, the SPICE documentation explicitly says the protocol and usbredirhost library are independent of SPICE. That separation is important historically: usbredir became a reusable USB-over-network mechanism rather than only a private detail of one remote desktop stack.
The protocol continued to evolve through the early 2010s. The official protocol document records filtering support in version 0.4 in 2012, 64-bit packet IDs in 0.5, buffered bulk input in 0.6, and protocol version 0.7 in 2014 with bulk-stream changes.
Adoption history
usbredir's main adoption path was virtualization. The SPICE page documents use with QEMU, libvirt, virt-manager, remote-viewer, and Windows clients using UsbDk, while also noting that the guest side is implemented for QEMU and shipped as part of QEMU.
The input package metadata lists usbredir across Alpine, Homebrew, Debian, Fedora, MacPorts, Nix, Arch, Ubuntu, and openSUSE package families. That spread matches its role as a low-level library used by virtualization stacks rather than as a daily end-user command.
How it is used
On the host side, applications provide a libusb device handle and callbacks for transporting usbredir data, then monitor usbredir and libusb events. The `usbredirect` utility can export a USB device over TCP as a client or server.
In VM workflows, users add USB redirection devices in virt-manager or libvirt XML, configure QEMU `usb-redir` devices and SPICE channels, and select devices from remote-viewer once the SPICE connection is established. Filtering rules can block or auto-connect devices by USB class, vendor, product, and version.
Why package nerds care
usbredir is package-nerd significant because it is the quiet glue behind a visible virtualization feature. Installing it satisfies build/runtime dependencies for QEMU/SPICE USB redirection and exposes the libraries that let packagers connect libusb, SPICE clients, and QEMU devices cleanly.
Timeline
- 2011-02-03: Official Git history starts with initial usbredir import.
- 2011: Protocol version 0.2 demonstrated at FOSDEM.
- 2011-07-14: Protocol version 0.3 released as the first stable version.
- 2012: Protocol versions 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 add filtering, 64-bit packet IDs, and buffered bulk input.
- 2014-05-19: Protocol version 0.7 released.
- 2025-01-27: Official tag usbredir-0.15.0 created.
Related projects
- The official documentation ties usbredir to SPICE, QEMU, libvirt, virt-manager, remote-viewer, libusb, and UsbDk.
Sources
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/spice/usbredir
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/spice/usbredir/-/blob/main/docs/usb-redirection-protocol.md
- https://www.spice-space.org/usbredir.html
- input source_facts.package-manager
- official git log and tags from https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/spice/usbredir.git
security posture
Risk level: green
library-like package without higher-risk signals.
Risk classifier
green risk · low confidence · appliance
Why
- library-like package without higher-risk signals
Signals
- metadata:library-like
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 8 platform targets.
- Installs with 2 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 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.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
usbredirect | 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 version0.15.0
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.spice-space.orgnone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:usbredir |
|---|---|
| Version | 0.15.0 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/usbredir |
| Homepage | https://www.spice-space.org |
| Repository | https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/spice/usbredir |
| Upstream docs | https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/spice/usbredir |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.0-or-later |
| Source archive | https://www.spice-space.org/download/usbredir/usbredir-0.15.0.tar.xz |
| Dependencies | glib, libusb |
| Build dependencies | meson, ninja, pkgconf |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, 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 | usbredir |
| 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%
libusbredirhost-dev 0.15.0-1
implementing the usb-host (*) side of a usbredir connection (development)
sudo apt install libusbredirhost-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Debian apt95%
libusbredirhost1t64 0.15.0-1
Implementing the usb-host (*) side of a usbredir connection (runtime)
sudo apt install libusbredirhost1t64- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Debian apt95%
libusbredirparser-dev 0.15.0-1
Parser for the usbredir protocol (development)
sudo apt install libusbredirparser-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Debian apt95%
libusbredirparser1t64 0.15.0-1
Parser for the usbredir protocol (runtime)
sudo apt install libusbredirparser1t64- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Debian apt95%
usbredirect 0.15.0-1
Simple USB host TCP client
sudo apt install usbredirect- Section: otherosfs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Nix95%
usbredir
nix profile install nixpkgs#usbredir- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Ubuntu apt95%
libusbredirhost-dev 0.13.0-2.1build1
implementing the usb-host (*) side of a usbredir connection (development)
sudo apt install libusbredirhost-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 2 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Ubuntu apt95%
libusbredirhost1t64 0.13.0-2.1build1
Implementing the usb-host (*) side of a usbredir connection (runtime)
sudo apt install libusbredirhost1t64- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 3 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Ubuntu apt95%
libusbredirparser-dev 0.13.0-2.1build1
Parser for the usbredir protocol (development)
sudo apt install libusbredirparser-dev- Section: libdevel
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Ubuntu apt95%
libusbredirparser1t64 0.13.0-2.1build1
Parser for the usbredir protocol (runtime)
sudo apt install libusbredirparser1t64- Section: libs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
Ubuntu apt95%
usbredirect 0.13.0-2.1build1
Simple USB host TCP client
sudo apt install usbredirect- Section: universe/otherosfs
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 4 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
apk95%
libusbredirhost 0.14.0-r0
USB network redirection protocol libraries
https://www.spice-space.org/usbredir.html
sudo apk add libusbredirhost- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
apk95%
libusbredirparser 0.14.0-r0
USB network redirection protocol libraries
https://www.spice-space.org/usbredir.html
sudo apk add libusbredirparser- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
apk95%
usbredir 0.14.0-r0
USB network redirection protocol libraries
https://www.spice-space.org/usbredir.html
sudo apk add usbredir- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
apk95%
usbredir-dev 0.14.0-r0
USB network redirection protocol libraries (development files)
https://www.spice-space.org/usbredir.html
sudo apk add usbredir-dev- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: usbredir
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
apk95%
usbredir-doc 0.14.0-r0
USB network redirection protocol libraries (documentation)
https://www.spice-space.org/usbredir.html
sudo apk add usbredir-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later AND LGPL-2.1-or-later
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: usbredir
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Usbredir
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