Vanta: Lightweight Behavioral Packet Analyzer
Author: lixiasky Version: 1.0 License: Apache 2.0
Project Overview
Vanta is a lightweight, fast, command-line-based network behavior analyzer. It reconstructs protocol-level flows and extracts structured activity from captured data.
Unlike full-featured GUI tools like Wireshark, Vanta focuses on clarity, structure, and simplicity — ideal for custom scripting and minimal setups.
Features
Protocol-Level Parsing
Supports HTTP, DNS, TLS (with partial fingerprinting)
Connection Tracking
Automatically reconstructs bidirectional flows
Behavior Exporting
Outputs clean JSON-formatted summaries
Portable & Dependency-Free
Single binary, no external dependencies
Quick Start (See usage/ folder for full guide)
go run main.go
Refer to the usage folder for complete usage documentation in Chinese.
Development Environment
OS: macOS 15.5 (Apple Silicon)
Editor: Visual Studio Code
Language: Go
Go Module: go 1.23.0
Toolchain: go1.24.3
Terminal: zsh (macOS default)
Developed and tested entirely on a MacBook Air M1 by an undergraduate student, as a personal expression of thanks.
main.go— Main entry pointcapture.json— Example input fileinternal/core/— Packet capture and flow reassemblydecoder/— Protocol decodersfuzz/— Fuzzing module (experimental)export/— Behavior exporting logic
usage/— Usage documentation
Why I Built This
This project is not just code — it's a response. Amid political pressure, some universities like Harvard, MIT, and CMU stood up for international students.
I’m just an ordinary undergraduate with no resources or background. This is my way of responding — not by petition, but through code. Vanta may be small, but it’s real, and it’s mine.
I know Vanta is a "toy version" of Wireshark — I still use Wireshark myself in real scenarios.
Thanks to Professors and Schools
Thank you for standing up for students.
This project might not be perfect, but it is heartfelt.
If you are willing to review, share, or offer feedback:
Email: lixiasky@protonmail.com GitHub: github.com/lixiasky