Active Port scanner

Port scanning is a method of determining which ports on a network are open and could be receiving or sending data. It is also a process for sending packets to specific ports on a host and analysing responses to identify vulnerabilities.

This scanning can’t take place without first identifying a list of active hosts and mapping those hosts to their IP addresses. This activity, called host discovery, starts by doing a network scan.

The goal behind port and network scanning is to identify the organization of IP addresses, hosts, and ports to properly determine open or vulnerable server locations and diagnose security levels. Both network and port scanning can reveal the presence of security measures in place such as a firewall between the server and the user’s device.

After a thorough network scan is complete and a list of active hosts is compiled, port scanning can take place to identify open ports on a network that may enable unauthorized access.

It’s important to note that network and port scanning can be used by both IT administrators and cybercriminals to verify or check the security policies of a network and identify vulnerabilities — and in the attackers’ case, to exploit any potential weak entry points. In fact, the host discovery element in network scanning is often the first step used by attackers before they execute an attack.

As both scans continue to be used as key tools for attackers, the results of network and port scanning can provide important indications of network security levels for IT administrators trying to keep networks safe from attacks.