Description: Croc enables secure, end-to-end encrypted file transfers over the internet, ensuring user privacy and anonymity.
Status: Active
Core Features and Compatibility
Core Features: Secure File Transfer, End-to-End Encryption, Cross-Platform Support, Relay Through Public or Custom Server, Optional Password Protection, Resumable Transfers, No Account Required, Direct Peer-to-Peer When Possible, Simple Command-Line Interface, QR Code Support for Convenience, Fast Transfer Speeds
Security Features: End-to-End Encryption with PAKE, One-Time Code Phrases, Custom Code Support, Resumable Transfers, No Port Forwarding Required, IPv6 and IPv4 Support, SOCKS5 Proxy Support (including Tor), No Account Required, Open Source under MIT License.
Data Collection Level: Minimal
Security and Privacy Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4.20)
Deployment and Technical Details
Deployment Architecture: A service that is hosted by a third party but can also be self-hosted.
License: MIT License
Cost: Fully Free
Maintenance and Support
Maintenance Status: Frequent Updates. Pretty responsive with the latest commits occurring at least a couple times a month. Funded by Zack Shollz (Software Engineer + Scientist & owner of project). Not government backed which may impact the level of security (vulnerabilities more common due to lower resources. There are about 20 monthly sponsors.
Community Support: ⚠️
Maintenance and Sustainability Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⯪☆ (3.30)
Limitations and Vulnerabilities: Address major drawbacks, such as poor usability for non-technical users, etc. Croc is a CLI-only tool and does not work in web browsers(No use through Tor to increase security of file transfer). While Croc supports NAT traversal to some extent, it lacks more advanced or varied options like WebRTC or ICE-based STUN, which can better penetrate firewalls and complex NAT scenarios. Using the public relay server could expose metadata (e.g., IP addresses, timing information) to the relay operator