ContainerSSH/ContainerSSH

ContainerSSH is an SSH server that launches containers on demand in Kubernetes and Docker environments.

The tool addresses the need to provide dynamic, isolated access to computing environments by intercepting SSH connections and spawning containers as backends. When a user connects via SSH, ContainerSSH authenticates them through a configurable authentication server, retrieves backend configuration from a config server, and launches a container with the specified settings. All user input is forwarded directly to the container, and container output is sent back to the user. The system supports ephemeral containers that clean up automatically on logout, persistent volumes for data storage, and comprehensive audit logging including S3 upload capabilities.

ContainerSSH suits scenarios where you need to provide temporary, isolated access with automatic resource cleanup. It works well for building lab environments for vendors and students, enabling production debugging by giving developers secure access with their usual tools while logging all changes, and running honeypots to study SSH attack patterns in network-isolated containers. The tool can be deployed as a standalone SSH server or fully embedded into custom applications through its Go API, allowing fine-grained control over configuration and lifecycle hooks.

The project maintains active engagement with its community through a dedicated Slack channel and provides clear contribution guidelines. Development includes security-focused practices such as SLSA provenance verification for release artifacts to ensure supply chain integrity. The codebase is written in Go and documented with quickstart guides and detailed use case documentation.