path: root/net/netcat/pkg-descr

Netcat is a simple Unix utility which reads and writes data across
network connections using TCP or UDP protocol.  It is designed to be a
reliable "back-end" tool that can be used directly or easily driven by
other programs and scripts.  At the same time it is a feature-rich
network debugging and exploration tool, since it can create almost any
kind of connection you would need and has several interesting built-in
capabilities.

Some of netcat's major features are:

	Outbound or inbound connections, TCP or UDP, to or from any ports
	Full DNS forward/reverse checking, with appropriate warnings
	Ability to use any local source port
	Ability to use any locally-configured network source address
	Built-in port-scanning capabilities, with randomizer
	Built-in loose source-routing capability
	Can read command line arguments from standard input
	Slow-send mode, one line every N seconds
	Hex dump of transmitted and received data
	Optional ability to let another program service established connections
	Optional telnet-options responder

A very short list of potential uses:

	Script backends
	Scanning ports and inventorying services, automated probes
	Backup handlers
	File transfers
	Server testing, simulation, debugging, and hijacking
	Firewall testing
	Proxy gatewaying
	Network performance testing
	Address spoofing tests
	Protecting X servers
	1001 other uses you'll likely come up with

_H* 960320