CobaltBus vs Havoc Framework: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
CobaltBus is a free offensive security tool. Havoc Framework is a free offensive security tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best offensive security fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of NIST CSF 2.0 coverage, core features, company size fit, deployment model, here is our conclusion:
Red teams running Azure-native infrastructure need CobaltBus because it hides Cobalt Strike traffic inside Service Bus messages, eliminating the need for external C2 domains that network monitoring catches. The free pricing and 246 GitHub stars signal active maintenance by practitioners who understand both Azure specifics and operator workflow. Skip this if your organization lacks Azure environments or prefers commercial red team frameworks with vendor support; CobaltBus demands hands-on Azure knowledge to deploy safely.
Red teams and penetration testers building custom C2 infrastructure will find Havoc's malleable profiles and team collaboration features faster to operationalize than Cobalt Strike, especially at zero cost. The 8,200-plus GitHub stars reflect active community contribution to payload obfuscation and evasion techniques that actually work against modern defenses. Skip this if your priority is managed C2 services or Windows-only operations; Havoc's strength is flexibility for operators who want to own their implant behavior, not outsource it.
