Best CobaltBus Alternatives & Competitors in 2026
Top picks: Core Security Cobalt Strike, Core Security Outflank Security Tooling, Havoc Framework — plus 45 more compared.
Security OperationsTop picks: Core Security Cobalt Strike, Core Security Outflank Security Tooling, Havoc Framework — plus 45 more compared.
Security OperationsCobaltBus is a free Offensive Security tool. Security professionals most commonly compare it with Core Security Cobalt Strike, Core Security Outflank Security Tooling, Havoc Framework, WebDAV Covert Channel, and AzureC2Relay. All 48 alternatives are matched by shared capabilities, tags, and NIST CSF 2.0 coverage.
A closer look at the 8 most relevant alternatives and competitors to CobaltBus, including their key features and shared capabilities.
Post-exploitation threat emulation platform for red team operations.
Shares 3 capabilities with CobaltBus: C2, Red Team, Evasion
Red team toolkit for EDR evasion, initial access, and post-exploitation.
Shares 3 capabilities with CobaltBus: C2, Red Team, Evasion
Open-source C2 framework for red team ops and adversary simulation.
Shares 3 capabilities with CobaltBus: C2, Red Team, Evasion
A covert channel technique that uses WebDAV protocol features to deliver malicious payloads and establish C2 communication while bypassing security controls.
Shares 3 capabilities with CobaltBus: C2, Red Team, Evasion
An Azure Function that validates and relays Cobalt Strike beacon traffic based on Malleable C2 profile authentication.
Shares 3 capabilities with CobaltBus: C2, Azure, Red Team
A command line tool that generates randomized malleable C2 profiles for Cobalt Strike to vary command and control communication patterns.
Shares 3 capabilities with CobaltBus: C2, Red Team, Evasion
RedGuard is a C2 front flow control tool that helps evade detection by security systems through traffic filtering and redirection capabilities.
Shares 3 capabilities with CobaltBus: C2, Red Team, Evasion
RedWarden is a Cobalt Strike C2 reverse proxy that uses packet inspection and malleable profile correlation to evade detection by security controls during red team operations.
Shares 3 capabilities with CobaltBus: C2, Red Team, Evasion
Post-exploitation threat emulation platform for red team operations.
Red team toolkit for EDR evasion, initial access, and post-exploitation.
Open-source C2 framework for red team ops and adversary simulation.
A covert channel technique that uses WebDAV protocol features to deliver malicious payloads and establish C2 communication while bypassing security controls.
An Azure Function that validates and relays Cobalt Strike beacon traffic based on Malleable C2 profile authentication.
A command line tool that generates randomized malleable C2 profiles for Cobalt Strike to vary command and control communication patterns.
RedGuard is a C2 front flow control tool that helps evade detection by security systems through traffic filtering and redirection capabilities.
RedWarden is a Cobalt Strike C2 reverse proxy that uses packet inspection and malleable profile correlation to evade detection by security controls during red team operations.
SourcePoint generates customizable C2 profiles for Cobalt Strike servers to enhance evasion capabilities against security defenses.
Threat emulation tool for adversary simulations and red team operations
Bundled offensive security suites combining pen testing, red teaming, and VM.
AI agent platform for automating offensive security operations and evals.
PyBOF is a Python library that enables in-memory loading and execution of Beacon Object Files (BOFs) with support for argument passing and function targeting.
Advanced command and control tool for red teaming and adversary simulation with extensive features and evasion capabilities.
C3 is a framework by WithSecureLabs for rapid prototyping of custom command and control channels that integrates with existing offensive security toolkits.
Covenant is a collaborative .NET command and control framework designed for red team operations and offensive security engagements.
CrossC2 is a cross-platform payload generator that extends CobaltStrike's capabilities to Linux and macOS environments for red team operations.
A reconnaissance tool that analyzes expired domains for categorization, reputation, and Archive.org history to identify candidates suitable for phishing and C2 operations.
EvilClippy is a cross-platform tool that creates malicious MS Office documents with hidden VBA macros and evasion techniques for penetration testing and red team operations.
A template-driven framework for creating custom evasion techniques to test Anti-Virus and EDR detection capabilities.
InvisibilityCloak is a proof-of-concept C# code obfuscation toolkit designed for red teaming and penetration testing to conceal post-exploitation tools from detection.
A COM Command & Control framework that uses JScript to provide fileless remote access capabilities on Windows systems through a modular plugin architecture.
Macro_Pack automates the generation and obfuscation of Office documents and scripts for penetration testing and security assessments.
A cross-platform HTTP/2 Command & Control framework written in Golang for post-exploitation activities and remote system management.
MSBuildAPICaller is an offensive security tool that enables interaction with the MSBuild API to execute arbitrary scripts for red teaming and penetration testing purposes.
A lightweight Command and Control (C2) implant written in Nim that provides remote access capabilities for penetration testing and red team operations.
A proxy aware C2 framework for penetration testing, red teaming, post-exploitation, and lateral movement with modular format and highly configurable payloads.
Pupy is an open-source, cross-platform C2 framework that provides remote access and control capabilities for compromised systems across Windows, Linux, OSX, and Android platforms.
SharpC2 is a C#-based Command and Control framework that provides remote access capabilities for penetration testing and red team operations.
Skyhook is an HTTP-based file transfer tool that uses obfuscation techniques to evade detection by Intrusion Detection Systems.
TikiTorch is a process injection tool that executes code within the address space of other processes using various injection techniques.
A Python framework for building custom Command and Control interfaces that implements Cobalt Strike's External C2 specification for data transfer between frameworks.
A repository documenting AppLocker bypass techniques with verified methods, legacy DLL execution approaches, and a PowerShell module for identifying AppLocker weaknesses.
SILENTTRINITY is a Python-based, asynchronous C2 framework that uses .NET scripting languages for post-exploitation activities without relying on PowerShell.
A cross-platform post-exploitation HTTP/2 Command & Control framework designed specifically for testing and exploiting containerized environments including Docker and Kubernetes.
A payload creation framework for generating and executing C# code payloads with anti-evasion capabilities for offensive security operations.
A powerful tool for hiding the true location of your Teamserver, evading detection from Incident Response, redirecting users, blocking specific IP addresses, and managing Malleable C2 traffic in Red Team engagements.
A PHP-based command and control framework that maintains persistent web server access through polymorphic backdoors and HTTP header communication tunneling.
InvalidSign is a security research tool that bypasses endpoint solutions by obtaining valid signed files with different hashes to evade signature-based detection mechanisms.
Customize Empire's GET request URIs, user agent, and headers for evading detection and masquerading as other applications.
Tool for randomizing Cobalt Strike Malleable C2 profiles to evade static, signature-based detection controls.
A C++ staged shellcode loader with evasion capabilities, compatible with Sliver and other shellcode sources, designed for offensive security testing.
FourCore ATTACK is an adversary emulation platform to manage cyber risk with evidence
CLI cheatsheet for Red Specter's 30-tool offensive security platform.
MCP server enabling AI agents to autonomously run 150+ security tools
A specification/framework for extending default C2 communication channels in Cobalt Strike
GraphSpy is a browser-based post-exploitation tool for Azure Active Directory and Office 365 environments that enables token management, reconnaissance, and interaction with Microsoft 365 services.
LeakIX is a red-team search engine that indexes mis-configurations and vulnerabilities online.
Common questions security professionals ask when evaluating alternatives and competitors to CobaltBus.
The most popular alternatives to CobaltBus include Core Security Cobalt Strike, Core Security Outflank Security Tooling, Havoc Framework, WebDAV Covert Channel, and AzureC2Relay. These Offensive Security tools offer similar capabilities and are frequently compared by security professionals evaluating their options.
There are 48 alternatives to CobaltBus listed on CybersecTools, all within the Offensive Security category. Each alternative is matched based on shared capabilities, tags, and NIST CSF coverage areas.
CobaltBus is a free Offensive Security tool. You can use it at no cost. Both free and commercial alternatives are available for comparison.
CobaltBus is a Offensive Security tool within the broader Security Operations category. It is used by security professionals for offensive security capabilities and can be compared against 48 similar tools.
