Hostname Rotator for macOS

This script rotates the macOS hostname (HostName, LocalHostName, ComputerName) by randomly selecting a template from hostnames.txt and generating random characters for placeholders.

This can be useful for making a machine blend into typical corporate network traffic by mimicking common device hostnames (printers, workstations, network devices, IoT, etc.).

Features

• Randomly selects a hostname template from a configurable list (hostnames.txt).
• Replaces {NUM} placeholders with random digits (0-9).
• Replaces {HEX} placeholders with random uppercase hexadecimal characters (0-9, A-F).
• Sets HostName, LocalHostName, and ComputerName using scutil.
• Requires sudo privileges to run.

Usage

1. Clone the repository (or download the files).

2. Review and customize hostnames.txt: Add, remove, or modify templates as desired. Ensure placeholders {NUM} and {HEX} are used correctly.

3. Make the script executable:

   chmod +x rotate_hostname.sh

4. Run the script with sudo:

   sudo ./rotate_hostname.sh

   The script will output the selected template and the generated hostname.

Note: A system restart might be required for the new hostname to be recognized by all applications and services.

Customization

Modify the hostnames.txt file to add or remove hostname patterns. Each line represents one template.

• Use {NUM} for a random digit.
• Use {HEX} for a random uppercase hex character.

Requirements

• macOS
• Bash shell (standard on macOS)
• Root privileges (sudo) to modify system settings.

Scheduling (macOS)

To run this script automatically (e.g., daily), you can use launchd, macOS's service manager. This requires creating a .plist configuration file in /Library/LaunchDaemons/.

1. Create a .plist file: Create a file named com.yourdomain.rotatehostname.plist (replace yourdomain with something relevant) in /Library/LaunchDaemons/ using sudo and a text editor. Paste the following content, making sure to replace the placeholder paths with the actual full paths to the script and its directory:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
   <plist version="1.0">
   <dict>
       <key>Label</key>
       <string>com.yourdomain.rotatehostname</string> <!-- Choose a unique label -->
   
       <key>ProgramArguments</key>
       <array>
           <!-- Full path to your script -->
           <string>/path/to/your/script/rotate_hostname.sh</string>
       </array>
   
       <key>WorkingDirectory</key>
       <!-- Full path to the directory containing the script -->
       <string>/path/to/your/script/directory</string>
   
       <key>RunAtLoad</key>
       <false/>
   
       <key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
       <dict>
           <!-- Example: Run daily at 3:00 AM -->
           <key>Hour</key>
           <integer>3</integer>
           <key>Minute</key>
           <integer>0</integer>
       </dict>
   
       <!-- Optional: Redirect output/errors to logs -->
       <!--
       <key>StandardOutPath</key>
       <string>/var/log/rotatehostname.log</string>
       <key>StandardErrorPath</key>
       <string>/var/log/rotatehostname.error.log</string>
       -->
   
   </dict>
   </plist>

2. Set Permissions: Ensure the file is owned by root:

   sudo chown root:wheel /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.yourdomain.rotatehostname.plist
   sudo chmod 644 /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.yourdomain.rotatehostname.plist

3. Load the Job: Tell launchd to load and enable the job:

   sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/com.yourdomain.rotatehostname.plist

The script will now run automatically based on the StartCalendarInterval defined in the .plist file.