NMAP
Introduction to Nmap
Nmap, short for Network Mapper, is a free and open-source tool used for network exploration and security auditing. It allows users to discover hosts and services on a computer network, thus creating a "map" of the network. Nmap is widely used for network inventory, managing service upgrade schedules, and monitoring host or service uptime.
Installation
Nmap is available for various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. To install Nmap:
Windows: Download the installer from the official Nmap download page and follow the on-screen instructions.
Linux: Use your distribution's package manager. For example, on Debian-based systems:
macOS: Use a package manager like Homebrew:
Basic Usage
Once installed, Nmap can be used to perform various network scanning tasks. Here are some basic examples:
1. Scanning a Single Host
To scan a single host and list open ports:
This command will display the open ports and the services running on them.
2. Scanning Multiple Hosts
To scan multiple hosts:
Or, to scan a range of IP addresses:
3. Scanning an Entire Subnet
To scan an entire subnet:
This will scan all 256 IP addresses in the subnet.
4. Service Version Detection
To detect the version of services running on open ports:
This provides detailed information about the services detected.
5. Operating System Detection
To detect the operating system of a host:
This attempts to determine the operating system of the target host.
6. Combining Scans
You can combine different scan options. For example, to perform service version detection and operating system detection together:
Example Output
Here is an example of Nmap output for a scan on a single host:
This output indicates that the host at 192.168.1.1 has ports 22, 80, and 443 open, corresponding to SSH, HTTP, and HTTPS services, respectively.
Additional Resources
For more detailed information and advanced usage, refer to the Nmap Reference Guide.
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