Yes, you can definitely use NMAP to scan your own network. NMAP, or Network Mapper, is a free and open-source tool for network discovery and security auditing. It can be used to discover hosts and services on a computer network, providing features to map your network, and inspect open ports and services that your network is running (NMAP, n.d.).
By scanning your own network, you can detect open ports that might be potential targets for exploitation, recognize what services are accessible internally and externally, detect whether any unnecessary services are running, as well as profile what system and application versions are currently being utilized on your network (NMAP, n.d.). Potentially, you can even identify intrusive devices connected on your network.
For example, presume-home network, you can use a combination of NMAP flags like -sn (for ping scan) and -oG (to generate a rearranged output) to see which machines are online. The command might look like this ‘nmap -sn 192.168.1.1-254 -oG ping-sweep’. Any machine that responds is online and part of your network (NMAP, n.d.).
Importantly, using NMAP to scan your own network is legal and generally considered best practice for identifying security vulnerabilities. But remember, scanning networks that you do not own or without explicit permission from its owner is illegal in many jurisdictions and can lead to serious punishment.
There are a wide array of sources that offer instructions and guidance on how to use NMAP, some of these include the official site for NMAP itself (nmap.org) and certain cybersecurity websites like Cybrary (www.cybrary.it) and Cisco’s collection of IT resources (www.cisco.com). For a comprehensive understanding and detailed examples of NMAP commands, you might want to explore the ‘NMAP Network Scanning’, the official guide written by Gordon Lyon, the original author of NMAP.
In-depth and practical tutorial about NMAP can be found in the online courses on platforms like Udemy or Coursera. For instance, Udemy offers a course called “Network Scanning: Nessus & NMAP” that provides comprehensive tutorials on how to utilize these tools to perform network scanning in a controlled and ethical manner (Udemy, n.d.).
Bear in mind that like all such tools, NMAP’s power can be used ethically for improving network security, or unethically, leading to cybercrime. So, its usage should always be within the boundary of laws and ethical standards.
Sources:
- NMAP (n.d.). Official Website. https://nmap.org/
- Cybrary (n.d.). https://www.cybrary.it/
- Cisco (n.d.). https://www.cisco.com/
- Udemy (n.d.). Network Scanning: Nessus & NMAP. https://www.udemy.com/
Note: The actual NMAP command lines and flag usage should be verified from the official NMAP documentation or other trustworthy resources. This response does not promote or support illegal and unethical hacking activities in any nature.
