Nmap (Network Mapper) is a powerful open-source network scanning tool used for network discovery and security auditing. It helps in identifying hosts and services on a network, allowing security researchers and system administrators to discover vulnerabilities and secure their networks.
How to Use Nmap in Bug Bounty
In bug bounty programs, Nmap is commonly used to:
- Discover Live Hosts: Identify active devices on a network.
- Port Scanning: Detect open ports on the target systems.
- Service Detection: Determine the services and versions running on open ports.
- OS Detection: Identify the operating system of the target machine.
- Scriptable Interaction: Use Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) to perform advanced tasks.
Basic Nmap Commands
- Scan a single host: nmap <target-ip>
- Scan a range of IP addresses: nmap <start-ip>-<end-ip>
- Scan a subnet: nmap <subnet>/<CIDR>
- Scan a specific port: nmap -p <port> <target-ip>
- Scan multiple ports: nmap -p <port1>,<port2>,<port3> <target-ip>
- Scan all 65535 ports: nmap -p- <target-ip>
- Service Version Detection: nmap -sV <target-ip>
- OS Detection: nmap -O <target-ip>
- Aggressive Scan (combines OS detection, version detection, script scanning, and traceroute): nmap -A <target-ip>
- Using Nmap Scripts: nmap –script <script-name> <target-ip>
Tips for Effective Use
- Combine Nmap with other tools: Integrate with tools like Nikto, Metasploit, and Burp Suite for deeper analysis.
- Regular Updates: Ensure Nmap and its scripts are up-to-date for the latest vulnerabilities and detection techniques.
- Read Documentation: Nmap has extensive documentation and a strong community; use these resources to learn advanced techniques.
By mastering Nmap, you can significantly enhance your reconnaissance and vulnerability detection capabilities in bug bounty hunting.