NMAP, known as Network Mapper, is an open source tool that is utilized to scan networks for security auditing, network discovery, and information gathering about networks and services. It was developed by Gordon Lyon, also known as Fyodor, and it was first published in 1997 (Lyon, G.2009, Nmap Network Scanning: The Official Nmap Project Guide to Network Discovery and Security Scanning).
At a fundamental level, NMAP is designed to map a network and understand its architecture. It can aid in identifying open ports, the type of host or servers on the network,discover operating systems,versions of services and to identify security vulnerabilities. The information gathered from these scans can then be valuable in both understanding the health and structure of the network, as well as in identifying potential areas that may be susceptible to intrusion(Dougherty, D., & Schmidt, A. (2003), Network Security Hacks, O’Reilly Media).
NMAP is a flexible tool that can adapt to the needs of the user. It supports a number of different scanning techniques like the standard ICMP Echo Request for ping scanning, TCP SYN for port scanning, UDP for service scanning and the list goes on. These different modes of operation can provide information about the structure and function of a network at different levels of granularity (McClure, S., Scambray, J., & Kurtz, G. (2012), Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets and Solutions, McGraw Hill Professional).
One of the reasons that NMAP is so widely adopted is due to the fact that it is open-source software. This both allows it to be freely distributed and improved upon by its user base(Graham, P., & Olson, K. (2010), Cyber Security Essentials, CRC Press).
An example of use might be a system administrator who employs NMAP to perform an audit of the university’s network. This audit might look for unused IP addresses, check the status of required services, or even identify unauthorized devices connected to the network. Similarly, an IT security consultant might use NMAP to identify and assess vulnerabilities in a corporate network.
In conclusion, NMAP is a powerful tool for understanding and auditing networks. It provides a range of different scan types which can give comprehensive information about network structure and potential vulnerabilities. As open source software, it has been widely adopted and used across different fields, from system administration to IT security.
Sources:
1. Lyon, G. (2009). Nmap Network Scanning: The Official Nmap Project Guide to Network Discovery and Security Scanning. Insecure.Com LLC.
2. Dougherty, D., & Schmidt, A. (2003). Network Security Hacks. O’Reilly Media.
3. McClure, S., Scambray, J., & Kurtz, G. (2012). Hacking Exposed: Network Security Secrets and Solutions. McGraw Hill Professional.
4. Graham, P., & Olson, K. (2010). Cyber Security Essentials. CRC Press.
