O Bash conseguiu acessar TCP e UDP por um tempo. Na página do manual:
/dev/tcp/host/port
If host is a valid hostname or Internet address, and port is an integer port number
or service name, bash attempts to open a TCP connection to the corresponding socket.
/dev/udp/host/port
If host is a valid hostname or Internet address, and port is an integer port number
or service name, bash attempts to open a UDP connection to the corresponding socket.
Então você poderia usar algo assim:
xenon-lornix:~> cat < /dev/tcp/127.0.0.1/22
SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_6.2p2 Debian-6
^C pressed here
Taa Daa!