"curl … | sh" is bad.
"curl … | sh" is bad. launched on April 8, 2011 with 14 votes, #56 of 229 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches.
In plain words
This website explains why downloading and executing scripts directly from the internet using curl piped to shell is a security risk. It's aimed at developers and system administrators who need to understand the dangers of this common practice. The site breaks down why this method can compromise system security and what safer alternatives exist.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
Does a similar job
all alternatives →
Inspect questionable scripts before piping them to sh or bash2015 · github.com · ▲28Don't run "curl | sh" again. Use "curl | shed" to verify scripts before running. - mplewis/shed
My shell script for HTTP/HTTPS troubleshooting and profiling2019 · github.com · ▲155My simple Swiss Army knife for http/https troubleshooting and profiling. - trimstray/htrace.sh

Tap curl in your editor before it gets to sh2016 · github.com · ▲60tap curl in your editor before it gets to sh it. Contribute to awalgarg/curl-tap-sh development by creating an account on GitHub.
Run unknown shell script with a line-by-line confirmation prompt2021 · gist.github.com · ▲158Run a shell script with bash, line-by-line, prompted on each command. Useful for running unknown scripts or debugging. Not a secure substitute for understanding a script beforehand. - LICENSE
A WireGuard Powered Remote Shell2024 · github.com · ▲170Time to announce Noisy Sockets Shell, the first in a series of WireGuard powered applications I'm working on. Noisy Sockets Shell is an SSH replacement that uses WireGuard for authentication and encryption, and WebSockets for communication. CLI and browser client available.
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Source: Show HN post ↗
Launched alongside, April 2011
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Start selling what you know, see what sticks, and get paid. Simple and effective.
Work · 2011 · gumroad.com
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Life & fun · 2011 · salaryshare.me
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Work · 2011 · cantada.ca
- MA
hi all, I've always wanted to make my own game, but couldn't afford a thousand-dollar adobe (flash+photoshop) license. I'm not a talented programmer, have no degree in CS. But I understand some elements of design. So I got me a copy of ImpactJS, and after about 5 months of steep learning curve (at least for me), I managed to come up with a game. I also integrated it with a highscore and badge system, similar to what you get at Kongregate. You need to login with Google/OpenID to earn badges/scores. link is: http://www.hotbazooka.com/privatejoe hope to hear some feedback/questions from you guys!
Life & fun · 2011 · hotbazooka.com
- CA
I remember seeing the Dragon Labs Dragonfish Glowing Form Demo[1] when it first came out, and it always stuck in my head. They implement the effect by using a rather large background image and a mask image and move the background image around via Javascript. I was inspired and wanted to see how close I could get with CSS3. I recommend using a Webkit browser [and you can see an alternate version of the animation on Firefox 4]. [1] http://labs.dragoninteractive.com/panel/demo/
Life & fun · 2011 · kaylarose.github.com
- HT
Ever wanted to type as fast as those amazing hackers in the movies? now you can! just write something. Yes, i was really bored. To change writing speed: javascript:writer.speed=10;
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