Rustcat : Netcat Alternative

Rustcat is a port listener that can be used for different purposes.
It is basically like netcat but with fewer options.

Why Use Rustcat?

  • Serves it purpose of listening to ports
  • Has command history
  • It is easy to use
  • Supports udp
  • Uses colors

Installation

Debian

wget https://github.com/robiot/rustcat/releases/latest/download/rustcat_amd64.deb
sudo apt install ./rustcat_amd64.deb

Arch

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/rustcat.git
cd rustcat
makepkg -si

Or with yay:

yay -S rustcat

Other Distributions

To install from crates.io:

cargo install rustcat

To install the latest github release without compiling yourself:

bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/robiot/rustcat/main/install.sh)

If you want it on windows you need to remove everything related to termion and rustyline from the source

Compiling yourself

To compile yourself

  • Download the source
  • Cd into the dir and run…

cargo build –release

Usage

rc [options] [destination] [port]

Usage Examples

Help :

rc –help

Listen to port 55660 on localhost :

rc -lp 55660

Listen to port 55660 on localhost with command history :

rc -lpH 55660

Listen to port 55660 on localhost udp :

rc -lpu 55660

Listen to port 55660 on specified ip (192.168.1.10) :

rc -l 192.168.1.10 55660

R K

Recent Posts

How to Install Java on Ubuntu 24.04 Easily in 2026

Java remains one of the most widely used programming platforms for servers, enterprise applications, Android…

2 days ago

How to Install DEB Files on Ubuntu in 2026 (Step-by-Step Beginner Guide)

Ubuntu users often download software directly from developer websites instead of using the default app…

2 days ago

Things to Do After Installing Ubuntu 26.04 LTS for a Fast, Secure Setup

Installing Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is only the first step toward building a smooth, secure, and…

4 days ago

How to Prevent Software Supply Chain Attacks

What is a Software Supply Chain Attack? A software supply chain attack occurs when a…

1 month ago

How UDP Works and Why It Is So Fast

When people ask how UDP works, the simplest answer is this: UDP sends data quickly…

2 months ago

How EDR Killers Bypass Security Tools

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions have become a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity, designed to…

2 months ago