Zenmap Reference Guide (Man Page) (2024)

FAQs

What is the Nmap man page? ›

Description. Nmap ("Network Mapper") is an open source tool for network exploration and security auditing. It was designed to rapidly scan large networks, although it works fine against single hosts.

When used properly, Nmap helps protect your network from invaders. But when used improperly, Nmap can (in rare cases) get you sued, fired, expelled, jailed, or banned by your ISP.

The "network mapper" or Nmap utility is one of the most famous and practical security tools available, with a rich history and helpful documentation. Nmap is an open-source network exploration tool that expedites auditing and scanning to allow users to better understand the network around them.

At its core, Nmap is a network scanning tool that uses IP packets to identify all the devices connected to a network and to provide information on the services and operating systems they are running.

Display a Man Page in the Terminal App

Type man and the name of a tool or API whose documentation you want to access, and press Return. Because the man page is larger than the window, Terminal displays only the first part of the page. Press Space to display subsequent parts, or press Q to exit the man tool.

How to Read Man Pages on Command Line. Using man is as simple as opening your Terminal emulator, or logging into your server via SSH. Once there, you can simply type man followed by the program you want to learn about. And the entire Git documentation will display in your screen using the less pager program.

Log monitoring tools such as Logwatch and Swatch can certainly help, but the reality is that system logs are only marginally effective at detecting Nmap activity. Special purpose port scan detectors are a more effective approach to detecting Nmap activity. Two common examples are PortSentry and Scanlogd.

However, hackers can also use Nmap to access uncontrolled ports on a system. They can run Nmap on a targeted approach, identify vulnerabilities, and exploit them.

All of the major IDSs ship with rules designed to detect Nmap scans because scans are sometimes a precursor to attacks. Many of these products have morphed into intrusion prevention systems (IPS) that actively block traffic deemed malicious.

Nmap Ping Scan

The most famous type of scan is the Nmap ping scan (so-called because it's often used to perform Nmap ping sweeps), and it's the easiest way to detect hosts on any network.

Should I delete Nmap? ›

Removing Nmap is a good idea if you are changing install methods (such as from source to RPM or vice versa) or if you are not using Nmap anymore and you care about the few megabytes of disk space it consumes. How to remove Nmap depends on how you installed it initially (see previous sections).

Nmap is a network scanning tool—an open source Linux command-line tool—used for network exploration, host discovery, and security auditing. Gordon Lyon (pseudonym Fyodor Vaskovich) created it to help map an entire network easily and find its open ports and services.

Nmap (Network Mapper) is a network scanner created by Gordon Lyon (also known by his pseudonym Fyodor Vaskovich). Nmap is used to discover hosts and services on a computer network by sending packets and analyzing the responses.

Nmap (“Network Mapper”) is a free and open source utility for network exploration and security auditing. Many systems and network administrators also find it useful for tasks such as network inventory, managing service upgrade schedules, and monitoring host or service uptime.

Yes, Nmap is generally safe to install and use, provided it is used responsibly and legally. Nmap (Network Mapper) is a powerful and widely-used open-source network scanning tool that helps in discovering and mapping networks, identifying open ports, and detecting vulnerabilities.

A man page (short for manual page) is a form of software documentation usually found on a Unix or Unix-like operating system. Topics covered include computer programs (including library and system calls), formal standards and conventions, and even abstract concepts.

Typically, info uses a structure similar to that of a book. In particular, info documentation refers to a comprehensive and interconnected collection of nodes that form a detailed guide or manual on a specific topic. On the other hand, man is more specific to a certain command or a system function.

To search a specific man page section, use the -s option with the man command and the -k or -K option. Note - Keywords are contained within double quotation marks.