Vauban
Vauban: A self-hosted gateway for browser access, MFA, policy control and session oversight. Ranked #10 of 34 in SSH Server Software by our editors (8.3/10); pricing: Free plan; best for open-source SSH/RDP access gateway.
At a glance
- Editor score8.3 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forOpen-source SSH/RDP access gateway
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- DeploymentSelf-hosted
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Browser-based SSH and RDP access with session recording
- MFA, SSO integrations and granular access policies
- Encrypted credential vault with industrial protocol tunneling
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires organizational infrastructure
- Broader gateway scope may exceed a dedicated SSH server's needs
- Paid subscriptions and professional services are optional offerings
Our verdict on Vauban
Vauban is an open-source security bastion for organizations managing access to critical infrastructure, including enterprise, industrial and defense environments. It provides browser-based SSH terminal access and browser-based RDP access through a self-hosted deployment. SSH is one part of a broader gateway that also covers industrial protocol tunneling and recognition, credential storage, access governance, monitoring and auditing. The published platform support includes FreeBSD, macOS and Linux, with web and API access available alongside self-hosting.
Access control is a central strength. Vauban supports MFA with TOTP, HOTP and SSO integrations, including OIDC, SAML, LDAP, Active Directory and SMTP. Role-, group- and asset-based policies can be combined with access rules and just-in-time access. Session recording for SSH and RDP, audit logging, and real-time session and security monitoring give administrators visibility into activity. An encrypted vault stores SSH keys, passwords and certificates, which keeps access management within the same gateway rather than limiting the product to terminal connectivity.
The free, open-source model is suited to teams that want to deploy and manage the gateway on their own infrastructure. The official description also mentions optional subscriptions and professional services, while the product remains available under free open-source licensing. Vauban should appeal to organizations that need controlled browser access across SSH, RDP and industrial systems, especially where MFA, policy enforcement and recorded sessions matter. Teams seeking only a narrowly focused SSH server may find its wider gateway scope unnecessary, while organizations that prefer a vendor-hosted service should look elsewhere because deployment is self-hosted.
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Vauban pricing
Vauban fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Supported platforms | FreeBSD, macOS, Linux |
| MFA support | Yes |
| SSH certificate auth | Not verified |
| Concurrent sessions | Not verified |
| Audit logging | Yes |
| Access controls | roles, groups, asset groups, policies, access rules, just-in-time access |
| Deployment | Self-hosted, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 5 integrations: OIDC, SAML, LDAP, Active Directory, SMTP |
| Pricing | Free plan |
| Website | vauban.sh |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Vauban integrations
Vauban lists 5 integrations on its own site.
- OIDC
- SAML
- LDAP
- Active Directory
- SMTP
Alternatives to Vauban
- OpenSSHA broad, open-source SSH toolkit for remote login, file transfer, forwarding, and key management.9.4
- DropbearA free, compact SSH server for lean self-hosted Unix and Cygwin deployments.9.2
- CoreSSH ServerA self-hosted SSH/SFTP server with strong administration and access controls.9.0
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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