Expanded SOCKS5 protocol support, refactored exception handling, updated documentation, added more tests. (#347)

README.md

@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ usage: ssh-audit.py [-h] [-4] [-6] [-b] [-c] [-d]
                     [--conn-rate-test N[:max_rate]] [--dheat N[:kex[:e_len]]]
                     [--get-hardening-guide platform] [--list-hardening-guides]
                     [--lookup alg1[,alg2,...]] [--skip-rate-test]
-                    [--threads N]
+                    [--socks5 host:port] [--threads N]
                     [host]
 
 # ssh-audit.py v3.4.0-dev, https://github.com/jtesta/ssh-audit
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ optional arguments:
   --skip-rate-test      skip the connection rate test during standard audits
                         (used to safely infer whether the DHEat attack is
                         viable)
+  --socks5 host:port    connect via a SOCKS5 proxy (implies --skip-rate-test)
   --threads N           number of threads to use when scanning multiple
                         targets (-T/--targets) (default: 32)
 ```
@@ -263,6 +264,7 @@ For convenience, a web front-end on top of the command-line tool is available at
  - When running against multiple hosts, now prints each target host regardless of output level.
  - Batch mode (`-b`) no longer automatically enables verbose mode, due to sometimes confusing results; users can still explicitly enable verbose mode using the `-v` flag.
  - Added UNIX server socket scanning (specify the target with `unix:///path/to/socket`).
+ - Added SOCKS5 proxy support (specify the proxy with `--socks5 host:port`); partial credit [Michał Majchrowicz](https://github.com/sectroyer).
  - Updated built-in policy for Debian 12.
  - Added built-in policies for OpenSSH 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3.
  - Added hardening guides and policies for Debian 13.

src/ssh_audit/auditconf.py

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """
    The MIT License (MIT)
 
-   Copyright (C) 2017-2025 Joe Testa (jtesta@positronsecurity.com)
+   Copyright (C) 2017-2026 Joe Testa (jtesta@positronsecurity.com)
    Copyright (C) 2017 Andris Raugulis (moo@arthepsy.eu)
 
    Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class AuditConf:
         self.conn_rate_test_enabled = False
         self.conn_rate_test_threads = 0
         self.conn_rate_test_target_rate = 0
-        self.socks_proxy: Optional[str] = None  # SOCKS5 proxy in "host:port" format
+        self.socks5_proxy: Optional[str] = None  # SOCKS5 proxy in "host:port" format
 
 
     def __setattr__(self, name: str, value: Union[str, int, float, bool, Sequence[int]]) -> None:
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class AuditConf:
             if value == -1.0:
                 raise ValueError('invalid timeout: {}'.format(value))
             valid = True
-        elif name in ['ip_version_preference', 'lookup', 'policy_file', 'policy', 'target_file', 'target_list', 'gex_test', 'socks_proxy']:
+        elif name in ['ip_version_preference', 'lookup', 'policy_file', 'policy', 'target_file', 'target_list', 'gex_test']:
             valid = True
         elif name == "threads":
             valid, num_threads = True, Utils.parse_int(value)
@@ -186,6 +186,12 @@ class AuditConf:
             if not isinstance(value, int):
                 valid = False
 
+        elif name == "socks5_proxy":
+            valid = True
+            if isinstance(value, str):
+                host, port = Utils.parse_host_and_port(value, 0)
+                if len(host) == 0 or port <= 0 or port >= 65535:
+                    raise ValueError("SOCKS5 host must be in host:port format.")
 
         if valid:
             object.__setattr__(self, name, value)

src/ssh_audit/ssh_audit.py

@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ def process_commandline(out: OutputBuffer, args: List[str]) -> 'AuditConf':  # p
     parser.add_argument("--list-hardening-guides", action="store_true", dest="list_hardening_guides", default=False, help="list all official, built-in hardening guides for common systems.  Their full names can then be passed to --get-hardening-guide.  Add -v to this option to view hardening guide change logs and prior versions.")
     parser.add_argument("--lookup", action="store", dest="lookup", metavar="alg1[,alg2,...]", type=str, default=None, help="looks up an algorithm(s) without connecting to a server.")
     parser.add_argument("--skip-rate-test", action="store_true", dest="skip_rate_test", default=False, help="skip the connection rate test during standard audits (used to safely infer whether the DHEat attack is viable)")
-    parser.add_argument("--socks", action="store", dest="socks_proxy", metavar="host:port", type=str, default=None, help="connect via a SOCKS5 proxy (e.g. 127.0.0.1:1080)")
+    parser.add_argument("--socks5", action="store", dest="socks5_proxy", metavar="host:port", type=str, default=None, help="connect via a SOCKS5 proxy (implies --skip-rate-test)")
     parser.add_argument("--threads", action="store", dest="threads", metavar="N", type=int, default=32, help="number of threads to use when scanning multiple targets (-T/--targets) (default: %(default)s)")
 
 
@@ -818,23 +818,17 @@ def process_commandline(out: OutputBuffer, args: List[str]) -> 'AuditConf':  # p
         aconf.list_policies = argument.list_policies
         aconf.manual = argument.manual
         aconf.skip_rate_test = argument.skip_rate_test
+        aconf.socks5_proxy = argument.socks5_proxy
         oport = argument.oport
 
-        if argument.socks_proxy is not None:
-            # Validate format: must be "host:port"
-            socks_parts = argument.socks_proxy.rsplit(':', 1)
-            if len(socks_parts) != 2 or not socks_parts[1].isdigit():
-                out.fail("--socks must be in host:port format (e.g. 127.0.0.1:1080)", write_now=True)
-                sys.exit(exitcodes.UNKNOWN_ERROR)
-            socks_port = int(socks_parts[1])
-            if socks_port < 1 or socks_port > 65535:
-                out.fail("SOCKS proxy port must be between 1 and 65535", write_now=True)
-                sys.exit(exitcodes.UNKNOWN_ERROR)
-            aconf.socks_proxy = argument.socks_proxy
-
         if argument.batch is True:
             aconf.batch = True
 
+        # Skip the rate test if we're using a SOCKS5 proxy.
+        if aconf.socks5_proxy is not None:
+            out.d("Disabling rate test since SOCKS5 proxy is set.", write_now=True)
+            aconf.skip_rate_test = True
+
         # If one -j was given, turn on JSON output.  If -jj was given, enable indentation.
         aconf.json = argument.json > 0
         if argument.json > 1:
@@ -901,8 +895,8 @@ def process_commandline(out: OutputBuffer, args: List[str]) -> 'AuditConf':  # p
             aconf.verbose = True
             out.verbose = True
 
-    except argparse.ArgumentError as err:
+    except (argparse.ArgumentError, ValueError) as err:
-        out.fail(str(err), write_now=True)
+        out.fail(f"Error: {str(err)}", write_now=True)
         parser.print_help()
         sys.exit(exitcodes.UNKNOWN_ERROR)
 
@@ -1159,7 +1153,7 @@ def audit(out: OutputBuffer, aconf: AuditConf, print_target: bool = False) -> in
     out.debug = aconf.debug
     out.level = aconf.level
     out.use_colors = aconf.colors
-    s = SSH_Socket(out, aconf.host, aconf.port, aconf.ip_version_preference, aconf.timeout, aconf.timeout_set, aconf.socks_proxy)
+    s = SSH_Socket(out, aconf.host, aconf.port, aconf.ip_version_preference, aconf.timeout, aconf.timeout_set, aconf.socks5_proxy)
 
     if aconf.client_audit:
         out.v("Listening for client connection on port %d..." % aconf.port, write_now=True)

src/ssh_audit/ssh_socket.py

@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class SSH_Socket(ReadBuf, WriteBuf):
 
     SM_BANNER_SENT = 1
 
-    def __init__(self, outputbuffer: 'OutputBuffer', host: Optional[str], port: int, ip_version_preference: List[int] = [], timeout: Union[int, float] = 5, timeout_set: bool = False, socks_proxy: Optional[str] = None) -> None:  # pylint: disable=dangerous-default-value
+    def __init__(self, outputbuffer: 'OutputBuffer', host: Optional[str], port: int, ip_version_preference: List[int] = [], timeout: Union[int, float] = 5, timeout_set: bool = False, socks5_proxy: Optional[str] = None) -> None:  # pylint: disable=dangerous-default-value
         super(SSH_Socket, self).__init__()
         self.__outputbuffer = outputbuffer
         self.__sock: Optional[socket.socket] = None
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class SSH_Socket(ReadBuf, WriteBuf):
         self.__timeout_set = timeout_set
         self.client_host: Optional[str] = None
         self.client_port = None
-        self.__socks_proxy = socks_proxy  # SOCKS5 proxy in "host:port" format, or None
+        self.__socks5_proxy = socks5_proxy  # SOCKS5 proxy in "host:port" format, or None
 
 
     def _resolve(self) -> Iterable[Tuple[int, Tuple[Any, ...]]]:
@@ -165,16 +165,16 @@ class SSH_Socket(ReadBuf, WriteBuf):
         try:
             # If we're connecting to a UNIX socket.
             if self.__host.startswith("unix://"):
-                if self.__socks_proxy is not None:
-                    return '[exception] cannot use a SOCKS5 proxy with UNIX socket targets'
                 s = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
                 s.settimeout(self.__timeout)
                 s.connect(self.__host[7:])
                 self.__sock = s
                 return None
 
-            if self.__socks_proxy is not None:
+            # If we're connecting through a SOCKS5 proxy.
-                return self._connect_via_socks5()
+            if self.__socks5_proxy is not None:
+                self.__sock = self._connect_via_socks5()
+                return None
 
             # We're connecting to an Internet host.
             for af, addr in self._resolve():
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ class SSH_Socket(ReadBuf, WriteBuf):
         except socket.error as e:
             err = e
             self._close_socket(s)
+
         if err is None:
             errm = 'host {} has no DNS records'.format(self.__host)
         else:
@@ -196,87 +197,98 @@ class SSH_Socket(ReadBuf, WriteBuf):
 
         return '[exception] {}'.format(errm)
 
-    def _connect_via_socks5(self) -> Optional[str]:
-        '''Connect to the target host:port via a SOCKS5 proxy. Returns None on success, or an error string.'''
-        assert self.__socks_proxy is not None
-        proxy_parts = self.__socks_proxy.rsplit(':', 1)
-        proxy_host = proxy_parts[0]
-        proxy_port = int(proxy_parts[1])
 
-        s = None
+    def _connect_via_socks5(self) -> socket.socket:
-        try:
+        '''Connect to the target host:port via a SOCKS5 proxy. Returns a socket on success, or raises an exception.'''
-            self.__outputbuffer.d("Connecting to SOCKS5 proxy %s:%d..." % (proxy_host, proxy_port), write_now=True)
-            s = socket.create_connection((proxy_host, proxy_port), timeout=self.__timeout)
 
-            # SOCKS5 greeting: version=5, nmethods=1, method=0 (no auth)
+        def __socks5_recv_exact(s: socket.socket, n: int) -> Optional[bytes]:
-            s.sendall(b'\x05\x01\x00')
+            '''Read exactly n bytes from socket s, returning None on EOF.'''
-            resp = self._socks5_recv_exact(s, 2)
+            buf = b''
-            if resp is None:
+            while len(buf) < n:
-                raise socket.error("no response from SOCKS5 proxy during handshake")
+                chunk = s.recv(n - len(buf))
-            if resp[0] != 5:
+                if not chunk:
-                raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy returned unexpected version: {}".format(resp[0]))
+                    return None
-            if resp[1] == 0xff:
+                buf += chunk
-                raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy rejected all authentication methods")
+            return buf
-            if resp[1] != 0:
-                raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy requires authentication (method {:d}), but only no-auth is supported".format(resp[1]))
 
-            # SOCKS5 connect request: version=5, cmd=1 (connect), rsv=0, atyp=3 (domain name)
+        # Parse the "host:port" string into its parts.
-            host_bytes = self.__host.encode('idna')
+        proxy_host, proxy_port = Utils.parse_host_and_port(self.__socks5_proxy) if self.__socks5_proxy is not None else ("", 0)
-            request = struct.pack('!BBBB', 5, 1, 0, 3) + struct.pack('!B', len(host_bytes)) + host_bytes + struct.pack('!H', self.__port)
-            self.__outputbuffer.d("Requesting SOCKS5 proxy to connect to %s:%d..." % (self.__host, self.__port), write_now=True)
-            s.sendall(request)
 
-            # Read the fixed part of the response (4 bytes: ver, rep, rsv, atyp)
+        self.__outputbuffer.d("Connecting to SOCKS5 proxy %s:%d..." % (proxy_host, proxy_port), write_now=True)
-            hdr = self._socks5_recv_exact(s, 4)
+        s = socket.create_connection((proxy_host, proxy_port), timeout=self.__timeout)
-            if hdr is None:
-                raise socket.error("no response from SOCKS5 proxy during connect")
-            if hdr[0] != 5:
-                raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy returned unexpected version in connect response: {}".format(hdr[0]))
-            if hdr[1] != 0:
-                socks5_errors = {
-                    1: "general SOCKS server failure",
-                    2: "connection not allowed by ruleset",
-                    3: "network unreachable",
-                    4: "host unreachable",
-                    5: "connection refused",
-                    6: "TTL expired",
-                    7: "command not supported",
-                    8: "address type not supported",
-                }
-                msg = socks5_errors.get(hdr[1], "unknown error {:d}".format(hdr[1]))
-                raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy connect failed: {}".format(msg))
 
-            # Read and discard the bound address from the response
+        # SOCKS5 greeting: version=5, nmethods=1, method=0 (no auth)
-            atyp = hdr[3]
+        s.sendall(b'\x05\x01\x00')
-            if atyp == 1:    # IPv4
+        resp = __socks5_recv_exact(s, 2)
-                self._socks5_recv_exact(s, 4 + 2)
+        if resp is None:
-            elif atyp == 4:  # IPv6
+            raise socket.error("no response from SOCKS5 proxy during handshake")
-                self._socks5_recv_exact(s, 16 + 2)
+        if resp[0] != 5:
-            elif atyp == 3:  # domain name
+            raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy returned unexpected version: {}".format(resp[0]))
-                alen_data = self._socks5_recv_exact(s, 1)
+        if resp[1] == 0xff:
-                if alen_data is None:
+            raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy rejected all authentication methods")
-                    raise socket.error("truncated SOCKS5 response")
+        if resp[1] != 0:
-                self._socks5_recv_exact(s, alen_data[0] + 2)
+            raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy requires authentication (method {:d}), but only no-auth is supported".format(resp[1]))
-            else:
-                raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy returned unknown address type: {}".format(atyp))
 
-            self.__sock = s
+        # Set the type and host encoding appropriately, depending on if we're sending a hostname, IPv4, or IPv6 address. The ATYP field is 3 when the client is sending a hostname.
-            return None
+        atyp = 3
+        _enc_host = self.__host.encode('idna')
+        dst_addr = struct.pack('!B', len(_enc_host)) + _enc_host
+        if Utils.is_ipv4_address(self.__host):
+            atyp = 1
+            dst_addr = socket.inet_pton(socket.AF_INET, self.__host)
+        elif Utils.is_ipv6_address(self.__host):
+            atyp = 4
+            dst_addr = socket.inet_pton(socket.AF_INET6, self.__host)
 
-        except socket.error as e:
+        # SOCKS5 connect request: version=5, cmd=1 (connect), rsv=0, atyp
-            self._close_socket(s)
+        request = struct.pack('!BBBB', 5, 1, 0, atyp) + dst_addr + struct.pack('!H', self.__port)
-            return '[exception] cannot connect via SOCKS5 proxy to {} port {}: {}'.format(self.__host, self.__port, e)
+        self.__outputbuffer.d("Requesting SOCKS5 proxy to connect to %s:%d..." % (self.__host, self.__port), write_now=True)
+        s.sendall(request)
+
+        # Read the fixed part of the response (4 bytes: ver, rep, rsv, atyp)
+        hdr = __socks5_recv_exact(s, 4)
+        if hdr is None:
+            raise socket.error("no response from SOCKS5 proxy during connect")
+
+        server_version = hdr[0]
+        reply = hdr[1]
+        # rsv = hdr[2]  # Reserved, set to 0 as per RFC1928.
+        atyp = hdr[3]
+
+        if server_version != 5:
+            raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy returned unexpected version in connect response: {}".format(hdr[0]))
+
+        if reply != 0:
+            socks5_errors = {
+                1: "general SOCKS server failure",
+                2: "connection not allowed by ruleset",
+                3: "network unreachable",
+                4: "host unreachable",
+                5: "connection refused",
+                6: "TTL expired",
+                7: "command not supported",
+                8: "address type not supported",
+            }
+
+            err = socks5_errors[reply] if reply in socks5_errors else f"unknown error: {reply}"
+            raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy connect failed: {}".format(err))
+
+        # Read and discard the bound address from the response
+        if atyp == 1:    # IPv4
+            __socks5_recv_exact(s, 4 + 2)
+        elif atyp == 4:  # IPv6
+            __socks5_recv_exact(s, 16 + 2)
+        elif atyp == 3:  # domain name
+            alen_data = __socks5_recv_exact(s, 1)
+            if alen_data is None:
+                raise socket.error("truncated SOCKS5 response")
+            __socks5_recv_exact(s, alen_data[0] + 2)
+        else:
+            raise socket.error("SOCKS5 proxy returned unknown address type: {}".format(atyp))
+
+        self.__outputbuffer.d("Successfully established SOCKS5 connection.", write_now=True)
+        return s
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _socks5_recv_exact(s: socket.socket, n: int) -> Optional[bytes]:
-        '''Read exactly n bytes from socket s, returning None on EOF.'''
-        buf = b''
-        while len(buf) < n:
-            chunk = s.recv(n - len(buf))
-            if not chunk:
-                return None
-            buf += chunk
-        return buf
 
     def get_banner(self) -> Tuple[Optional['Banner'], List[str], Optional[str]]:
         self.__outputbuffer.d('Getting banner...', write_now=True)

src/ssh_audit/utils.py

@@ -153,6 +153,17 @@ class Utils:
 
         return host, port
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_ipv4_address(address: str) -> bool:
+        '''Returns True if address is an IPv4 address, otherwise False.'''
+        is_ipv4 = True
+        try:
+            ipaddress.IPv4Address(address)
+        except ipaddress.AddressValueError:
+            is_ipv4 = False
+
+        return is_ipv4
+
     @staticmethod
     def is_ipv6_address(address: str) -> bool:
         '''Returns True if address is an IPv6 address, otherwise False.'''

ssh-audit.1

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.TH SSH-AUDIT 1 "June 14, 2026"
+.TH SSH-AUDIT 1 "June 20, 2026"
 .SH NAME
 \fBssh-audit\fP \- SSH server & client configuration auditor
 .SH SYNOPSIS
@@ -141,6 +141,11 @@ Runs a policy audit against a target using the specified policy (see \fBPOLICY A
 .br
 Skips the connection rate test during standard audits.  By default, a few dozen TCP connections are created with the target host to see if connection throttling is implemented (this can safely infer whether the target is vulnerable to the DHEat attack; see CVE-2002-20001).
 
+.TP
+.B     \-\-socks5 host:port
+.br
+Connects through a SOCKS5 proxy. Rate tests are automatically skipped (i.e.: implies \-\-skip\-rate\-test).
+
 .TP
 .B -t, \-\-timeout=<secs>
 .br

test/test_auditconf.py

@@ -166,17 +166,18 @@ class TestAuditConf:
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
             conf = c('-l something localhost')
 
-    def test_audit_conf_process_commandline_socks_proxy(self):
+    def test_audit_conf_process_commandline_socks5_proxy(self):
         c = lambda x: self.process_commandline(self.OutputBuffer, x.split())  # noqa
 
-        conf = c('--socks 127.0.0.1:1080 localhost')
+        assert c('--socks5 127.0.0.1:1080 localhost').socks5_proxy == '127.0.0.1:1080'
-        assert conf.socks_proxy == '127.0.0.1:1080'
+        assert c('--socks5 [fe80::aaaa:bbbb:cccc:dddd]:1080 localhost').socks5_proxy == '[fe80::aaaa:bbbb:cccc:dddd]:1080'
+        assert c('--socks5 somehost.lol:1080 localhost').socks5_proxy == 'somehost.lol:1080'
 
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
-            c('--socks localhost localhost')
+            c('--socks5 localhost localhost')
 
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
-            c('--socks localhost:0 localhost')
+            c('--socks5 localhost:0 localhost')
 
         with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
-            c('--socks localhost:65536 localhost')
+            c('--socks5 localhost:65536 localhost')

test/test_socket.py

@@ -40,8 +40,3 @@ class TestSocket:
         s, e = sock.send_packet()
         assert s == -1
         assert e == 'not connected'
-
-    def test_socks_proxy_rejected_for_unix_socket_targets(self, virtual_socket):
-        sock = self.ssh_socket(self.OutputBuffer(), 'unix:///tmp/test.sock', 22, socks_proxy='127.0.0.1:1080')
-        err = sock.connect()
-        assert err == '[exception] cannot use a SOCKS5 proxy with UNIX socket targets'