Zxc is a Rust-based TLS proxy designed as a Burp Suite alternative, featuring a unique terminal-based UI built with tmux and Vim. It aims to provide a streamlined and efficient intercepting proxy experience within a familiar text-based environment, leveraging the power and customizability of Vim for editing HTTP requests and responses. Zxc intercepts and displays TLS traffic, allowing users to inspect and modify it directly within their terminal workflow. This approach prioritizes speed and a minimalist, keyboard-centric workflow for security professionals comfortable with tmux and Vim.
This Hacker News post introduces "zxc," an open-source TLS proxy written in Rust. It aims to be a more streamlined and performant alternative to tools like Burp Suite, specifically targeting users who prefer a terminal-based workflow. Unlike traditional graphical intercepting proxies, zxc utilizes tmux for its window management and Vim as its primary interface for interacting with HTTP requests and responses. This approach eschews the complexities and potential performance overhead of a GUI, offering a lightweight and potentially faster experience.
The project leverages the Rust programming language for its performance characteristics and memory safety, which are crucial for handling potentially malicious network traffic. The integration with tmux allows for a multi-pane layout within the terminal, presumably enabling simultaneous views of intercepted requests, responses, and potentially other relevant information. Vim serves as the core interaction point, allowing users to directly edit HTTP requests and responses within a familiar text editor environment. This presumably includes the ability to modify headers, body content, and other parameters before forwarding the request or returning the response.
Zxc appears to be targeted toward security professionals and developers who are comfortable working within a terminal environment and prefer the efficiency and customizability offered by tools like tmux and Vim. While it aims to provide similar functionality to established intercepting proxies, its unique UI differentiates it and potentially offers a more efficient workflow for those accustomed to a terminal-based approach. The Rust implementation suggests a focus on performance and stability, which are important considerations for a tool dealing with potentially sensitive network data. The project is open-source and available on GitHub, encouraging community contributions and further development.
Summary of Comments ( 5 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43568771
Hacker News users generally expressed interest in
zxc, praising its novel approach to TLS interception and debugging. Several commenters appreciated the use of familiar tools liketmuxandvimfor the UI, finding it a refreshing alternative to more complex, dedicated tools like Burp Suite. Some raised concerns about performance and scalability compared to established solutions, while others questioned the practical benefits over existing, feature-rich alternatives. A few commenters expressed a desire for additional features like WebSocket support. Overall, the project was seen as an intriguing experiment with potential, though some skepticism remained regarding its real-world viability and competitiveness.The Hacker News post about ZXC, a Rust TLS proxy with a tmux and Vim UI presented as a Burp Suite alternative, generated a moderate amount of discussion with a mix of interest and skepticism.
Several commenters expressed intrigue at the project's novel approach to using familiar tools like tmux and Vim for a task typically handled by dedicated GUI applications. They saw potential in leveraging the power and flexibility of these tools for intercepting and manipulating network traffic. Some expressed interest in trying it out and appreciated the developer sharing their work.
However, a recurring theme among the comments was skepticism about the practicality and usability of ZXC compared to established tools like Burp Suite. Commenters pointed out the steep learning curve associated with tmux and Vim, particularly for users unfamiliar with those tools. They questioned whether the benefits of using these tools outweigh the added complexity and potentially slower workflow compared to a purpose-built GUI application.
Some commenters raised concerns about the efficiency of navigating and manipulating complex requests and responses within a text-based interface. They argued that a visual representation, as provided by Burp Suite, is often crucial for understanding and modifying data effectively. The ability to quickly identify and manipulate specific elements within requests and responses, potentially using point-and-click interactions, was highlighted as a key advantage of GUI tools.
The discussion also touched upon the potential benefits of using Rust for this type of application, with commenters acknowledging the language's performance and memory safety characteristics. However, this did not entirely offset the concerns about the UI/UX choices.
Overall, the comments reveal a mixed reception to ZXC. While some appreciate the ingenuity and potential of using tmux and Vim for this task, many remain unconvinced about its practical usability compared to established GUI-based alternatives. The comments suggest that while the project is interesting from a technical perspective, it might face challenges in gaining widespread adoption due to its reliance on tools with a steeper learning curve and potentially less efficient workflows for this specific use case.