p0f ☆
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Description:
Versatile passive OS fingerprinting, masquerade detection tool
Type: Formula  |  Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Security
Tags: networking security fingerprinting passive-analysis os-detection
Install: brew install p0f
About:
p0f is a tool that performs passive network traffic analysis to identify the operating system and other characteristics of remote hosts without actively interacting with them. It uses a sophisticated fingerprinting engine to analyze TCP SYN packet signatures, providing insights into the target's OS, version, and network stack details. This makes it invaluable for stealthy reconnaissance and security monitoring.
Key Features:
  • Passive OS fingerprinting without packet injection
  • Detects OS, version, and hardware details from TCP packets
  • Masquerade detection to identify suspicious traffic patterns
  • Low resource usage and suitable for long-term monitoring
Use Cases:
  • Network reconnaissance and asset discovery
  • Security monitoring and intrusion detection
  • Detecting compromised or spoofed systems on a network
Alternatives:
  • Nmap – Nmap performs active scanning which can be detected, while p0f is completely passive
  • Xplico – Xplico is a full network forensics suite, while p0f focuses specifically on OS fingerprinting
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 16, 2025 5:34pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 86863d70
Sep 11, 2024 4:11am 0 VERSION_BUMP 8ae8d541
Oct 2, 2023 2:15pm 0 VERSION_BUMP c7ca2a4d
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