Rethinking Server Access: Beyond SSH

#devops #ssh #security #discuss

In the first post, we talked about how SSH was built for the 1990s.

In the second, we broke down the major problems legacy SSH creates for today’s infrastructure.

So the question is: what comes next?

Why Rethink Access?

This isn’t just about inconvenience — it’s about structural limitations.

SSH and VPN assumed only human access. IAM lived separately. Auditing was handled elsewhere.

But attacks have grown more sophisticated, systems more complex, and automation is everywhere.

We’re still trying to rely on a 1990s model in a 2025 environment.

It’s time to redefine access itself.

Introducing Websh

When we reimagined server access, we focused on eliminating the biggest weaknesses of SSH:

open ports, fragile sessions, and siloed identity and auditing.

That led us to Websh, a new protocol at the core of Alpacon’s Access Gateway.

🌐 No Open Ports

Attackers love port 22. Websh removes it completely.

Servers make outbound connections only — nothing exposed, nothing to scan.

🔒 Web-Native by Design

Every session runs over TLS (the same tech behind https://).

No VPNs. No special clients. Just stable, browser-friendly connections that survive network drops.

👥 Simple IAM & Auditing

Invite or remove teammates in seconds, with identity managed centrally.

Every action is logged and auditable, with anomalies flagged in real time.

Redefining Access

Instead of separating network access, identity, and auditing, Alpacon unifies them into a single gateway —

a platform designed for modern infrastructure and developer workflows.

👉 Want to be part of the discussion?