Mailoney

Windows · Linux · Self-hosted

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Freedom report

One barScore 5.4

Free tierNo free tier on record
Open codeNo open-source code on record
Runs widely2 of 6 device platforms
DocumentedPlans, terms and facts published

Mailoney is ranked #13 of 18 in honeypot software on Freedom251. It runs on Linux, Self-hosted, Windows.

Compared on honeypot software

Deployment model: self-hosted
Decoy scope: application
Credential lures: Yes

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The record

Purpose: Mailoney is a low-interaction SMTP honeypot that simulates a vulnerable mail server to detect and log unauthorized access attempts, credential harvesting, and other SMTP attacks.
SMTP capture: It accepts SMTP connections on port 25 and captures authentication attempts and credentials.
Database: Session data can be stored in SQLite, PostgreSQL, or MySQL/MariaDB; PostgreSQL is recommended for production.
Deployment: The project provides a Docker image and Docker Compose instructions, as well as local installation instructions using Python.
Log integrations: JSON Lines event output can be used with log shippers, and the README describes shipping logs to SIEM, ELK Stack, or Loki.
Prometheus: An optional Prometheus metrics endpoint reports connection, session, credential, command, and duration metrics.
Message retention: Captured email bodies are discarded by default; setting MAILONEY_MAIL_DIR opts in to writing them to disk.
TLS: The SMTP server supports STARTTLS when both a certificate and private key are configured, with a TLS 1.2 minimum.
Security guidance: The README advises deploying Mailoney in a controlled environment, using limited privileges, and configuring a firewall.
Metrics exposure: The README warns that the unauthenticated metrics endpoint can identify the software as a honeypot and recommends keeping it off the internet.
License: Mailoney is distributed under the MIT License, which grants permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute the software free of charge.
API: The README suggests extending Mailoney to provide a REST API; it does not describe a built-in API.

Where it ranks on Freedom251

Best Honeypot Software in 2026#13 of 18

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Sources

github.com/phin3has/mailoney· checked 4 Oct 2026
github.com/phin3has/mailoney/blob/main/LICENSE· checked 4 Oct 2026