Open-Source Observability · nttgin

BGPalerter

BGPalerter is a self-configuring, open-source BGP and RPKI monitoring tool that detects real-time threats like prefix hijacks, visibility loss, and RPKI misconfiguration. It connects directly to public BGP data sources and runs locally—no external infrastructure required.

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Source: GitHub — github.com/nttgin/BGPalerter

GitHub stars

169

Forks

JavaScript

Primary language

BSD-3-Clause

License (OSI-approved)

Key facts

Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.

Field	Value
Repository	nttgin/BGPalerter
Owner	nttgin
Primary language	JavaScript
License	BSD-3-Clause — OSI-approved
Stars	1k
Forks	169
Open issues	8
Latest release	v2.0.1 (2025-08-07)
Last updated	2026-06-24
Source	https://github.com/nttgin/BGPalerter

What BGPalerter is

JavaScript-based monitoring application that ingests public BGP/RPKI datasets and performs local analysis for anomaly detection including hijack identification, ROA validation, AS path monitoring, and RPKI trust anchor health. Supports multiple alerting channels (email, Slack, Kafka, syslog, HTTP, etc.) via configurable YAML.

Quickstart

Get the BGPalerter source

Clone the repository and explore it locally.

terminalbash

1git clone https://github.com/nttgin/BGPalerter.git2cd BGPalerter3# follow the project's README for install & configuration

Need it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.

Best use cases

ISP/Network Operator BGP Security

Organizations managing ASNs and IP prefixes can continuously monitor for unauthorized announcements, RPKI violations, and upstream AS path anomalies to detect and respond to hijacks and misconfigurations in real-time.

RPKI Compliance and ROA Lifecycle

Networks can track ROA expiration, detect coverage gaps, validate prefix-to-ROA mappings, and monitor RPKI Trust Anchor availability without building custom infrastructure.

Internet Exchange and Content Delivery

CDNs and IXPs can integrate BGPalerter into their SOCs to alert on unexpected AS path changes, new prefix announcements, or more-specific hijack attempts with minimal operational overhead.

Implementation considerations

Auto-configuration on first run generates prefix/AS lists from public WHOIS data; review and customize configuration.yml to tailor monitored prefixes and alert thresholds.
Requires reliable Internet connectivity and DNS resolution to fetch BGP MRT dumps and RPKI TAL files; design with network resilience in mind.
Data disk usage grows with history; monitor log file rotation and database footprint, especially for large numbers of monitored prefixes.
Multiple alert channels must be independently configured in config.yml (email credentials, Slack webhooks, Kafka brokers, etc.); test each channel post-deployment.
Maintain awareness of public data source uptime and freshness; stale BGP feeds may miss real-time anomalies.

When to avoid it — and what to weigh

Real-time sub-second response requirements — Alert latency depends on BGP data feed polling intervals and public repository update cadence; not suitable for applications requiring immediate sub-second threat response.
Proprietary/private BGP data sources — Tool is designed for public BGP repositories (MRT dumps, RPKI tal files, etc.) and has no built-in support for proprietary feeds or private network telemetry integration.
Minimal network operator expertise available — Effective deployment requires understanding of BGP, AS paths, RPKI/ROA concepts, and configuration file management; not a plug-and-play product for users without networking knowledge.
Highly-regulated environments with external audit requirements — Self-hosted deployment may complicate compliance workflows; requires careful review of data residency, audit logging, and vendor support expectations.

License & commercial use

BSD 3-Clause License permits commercial use, modification, and distribution with attribution and liability disclaimer. No patent grants or warranty.

BSD 3-Clause is a permissive OSI license supporting commercial deployment. However, no explicit commercial support, SLA, or indemnification is offered by the project. Organizations must independently verify compliance and operational suitability; consider evaluating PacketVis (mentioned as a commercial service alternative) for managed support.

DEV.co evaluation signals

Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.

Signal	Assessment
Maintenance	Active
Documentation	Strong
License clarity	Clear
Deployment complexity	Moderate
DEV.co fit	Good
Assessment confidence	High

Security considerations

Tool executes locally and connects only to public BGP/RPKI data sources—no data is transmitted to NTT or third-party servers. Evaluate: (1) security posture of the host running BGPalerter, (2) credential management for alert channels (email, Slack tokens, Kafka credentials), (3) file-based configuration containing sensitive credentials, (4) impact of untrusted BGP data on alert accuracy, (5) absence of formal security audit or vulnerability disclosure policy in provided data.

Alternatives to consider

Cisco Crosswork

Enterprise BGP route monitoring and analytics; offers commercial support, multi-vendor integration, and managed SaaS option; higher cost and complexity.

Kentik (Route Analytics add-on)

Commercial BGP anomaly detection and DDoS/route hijack alerting; SaaS platform with expert support; better for teams without infrastructure automation expertise.

PacketVis

Managed service built on BGPalerter; outsourced monitoring and support; suitable for organizations preferring third-party hosting over self-deployment.

Software development agency

Build on BGPalerter with DEV.co software developers

Download the binary for your OS, run the auto-configuration, and begin monitoring BGP security in under one minute. For managed support, consider PacketVis. Review licensing and security implications before production deployment.

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BGPalerter FAQ

Do I need to configure my network devices to use BGPalerter?

No. BGPalerter connects directly to public BGP data repositories (MRT dumps, RPKI TALs); it does not require direct integration with routers or network equipment.

How current are the BGP announcements being monitored?

Freshness depends on the public data source's update frequency. BGP MRT dumps are typically updated every 2–8 hours; real-time detection is not guaranteed but is typically within minutes.

Can I filter alerts to only critical events?

Yes. config.yml allows fine-grained control of monitored conditions (hijacks, visibility loss, ROA expirations, AS path anomalies); you can enable/disable each monitor and define thresholds.

What happens if BGPalerter crashes or loses connectivity?

Monitoring stops. Deploying as a systemd service with restart policies or within container orchestration (Kubernetes) is recommended to ensure high availability.

Work with a software development agency

From first prototype to production, DEV.co delivers software development services around tools like BGPalerter. Our software development agency staffs experienced software developers and web developers for custom software development, web development, integrations, and ongoing support across open-source observability and beyond.

Evaluate BGPalerter for your network operations

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