Ncat's proxy connect option should use Nsock proxychains
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enhancement
Ncat
- Dominant language
- C
- Stars
- 13.6k
- Forks
- 2.9k
- PR merge metrics
- No merged PRs in 30d
Description
Ncat currently uses custom proxy connection code in ncat_connect.c. We should replace this with Nsock's proxychains support to keep all such code in one place. Some new features must be added, but we will get more features for Ncat in the process.
Things missing from Nsock that Ncat implements:
- Remote name resolution or connect-by-name for proxy types that allow this (HTTP and SOCKS 4a/5 allow these, but Nsock doesn't have a good way currently to handle it).
New features that Ncat will gain by this:
- Ability to chain more than one proxy.
- More transparent SSL connection capability (was entirely broken, and the fix to #2065 uses
nsock_reconnect_ssl()with an IOD converted from a plain socket withnsock_iod_new2(), which the documentation says isn't really supported).
Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start in ncat_connect.c and trace the custom proxy connection path alongside Nsock's proxychains support. Determine how remote name resolution or connect-by-name must be represented for HTTP and SOCKS 4a/5 proxies, then verify that proxy chaining and SSL connections work through the unified path.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- c
- Domain
- cli, networking
- Issue type
- Refactor
- Difficulty
- 5/5
- Estimated time
- Over a week
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 25/100