# brightio/penelope

Penelope Shell Handler

Repository: https://github.com/brightio/penelope
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/penelope
Language: Python
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: pty, tty, ctf-tools, rce, ctf, reverse-shell, shell-handler, hackthebox, oscp, oscp-tools, tryhackme
Last push: 2026-08-23T18:11:54+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 92/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:20:16.233290+00:00)
- activity 99, release rhythm 77, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 1915, "days_push": 10, "days_rel": 77, "gap_med": 38.5, "n_releases_24m": 7}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 2031, forks 235 (observed 2026-08-28T04:06:07.078530+00:00)

## What it is
Penelope is a modern reverse shell handler for penetration testers and CTF players, serving as a more capable alternative to basic netcat listeners. Built entirely with Python's standard library, it adds automatic PTY upgrades, multi-session management, activity logging, file transfers, and helper modules.

## Use cases
- catch reverse shells during CTF challenges
- replace netcat listener with a better shell handler
- auto-upgrade shells to a fully interactive PTY
- manage multiple reverse shell sessions across hosts
- upload and download files to compromised targets
- log shell activity during penetration tests
- generate reverse shell payloads
- maintain persistent shells that respawn on death

## When to choose
- you need a feature-rich netcat replacement for catching reverse shells
- you want automatic PTY/readline upgrades without manual stty tricks
- you're doing CTFs (HackTheBox, TryHackMe, OSCP) or pentest engagements
- you need session management, logging, and file transfer in one tool
- you want a zero-dependency Python script that runs anywhere

## When to avoid
- you need a Windows-native handler with full feature parity (Windows support is experimental)
- you're looking for a full exploitation framework like Metasploit
- you only need a simple one-shot listener for a quick test
- you need a GUI-based shell management tool

## Facets
- artifact type: cli-tool
- maturity: active
- function: cli, security, networking, developer-tools
- domain: security, penetration-testing, developer-tools
- platform: python, cli
- tags: reverse-shell, shell-handler, ctf-tools, pty, penetration-testing, hackthebox, oscp, netcat-alternative, command-line, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- brightio/penelope (main) score 92

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:07.078530+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T02:59:32.243516+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/brightio/penelope (fetched 2026-08-28T04:06:07.078530+00:00, sha c4ffe5dd071f)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.