🤖 AI Prompts Cheatsheet
Daniel Osei — AI-Assisted Security Engineer
What is Nmap?
Nmap (Network Mapper) is an open-source tool for network exploration and security auditing. It is utilized by network administrators for network inventory, managing service upgrade schedules, and monitoring host or service uptime. Additionally, penetration testers employ Nmap to discover hosts and services on a network, creating a map of the network structure.
Installation
To install Nmap, use the following commands based on your operating system:
# On Debian/Ubuntu sudo apt-get install nmap # On CentOS/Fedora sudo yum install nmap # On macOS brew install nmap
Basic Syntax
The basic syntax for running Nmap is:
nmap [options] [targets]
Discovery
Ping Scan
To quickly identify live hosts on the network:
nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24
This command sends ICMP echo requests to check for active devices.
Service Discovery
To determine the services running on the identified hosts:
nmap -sV 192.168.1.10
This command probes open ports on the target to detect services.
Scanning
Full TCP Scan
To perform comprehensive scanning of all TCP ports:
nmap -p- 192.168.1.10
TCP Connect Scan
To use a standard TCP connection:
nmap -sT -p 22,80,443 192.168.1.10
This command scans specified ports using full TCP connection.
Exploitation
Enumeration of Vulnerabilities
Use Nmap with scripts to enumerate potential vulnerabilities:
nmap --script vuln 192.168.1.10
Analysis
OS Detection
To identify the operating system of a target device:
nmap -O 192.168.1.10
Evasion
Faking MAC Address
To evade detection by changing the MAC address:
nmap --spoof-mac 0 192.168.1.10
Reporting
Export Scan Results
To save scan results in a specific format:
nmap -oN scan_results.txt 192.168.1.10
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| -sT | TCP Connect scan. |
| -O | Enable OS detection. |
| -p- | Scan all 65535 TCP ports. |
| –script | Run a specified Nmap script. |
Pro Tips
- Use Timing Template (-T): Speed up scanning by adjusting speed settings (e.g., -T4 for faster scans).
- Combine Options: Use multiple flags in one command (e.g., nmap -sV -O -p 1-1000 target).
- Use Comments: Add comments in your scan results for future reference.
Real-World Examples
Quick Network Inventory
nmap -sn 192.168.1.0/24
Detailed Service Scan
nmap -sV -O 192.168.1.100
Export Scan Results to XML
nmap -oX scan_results.xml 192.168.1.0/24