What is Nmap?
'''Nmap''' is a [[computer program]] that is used for ''port scanning'' (finding out all the ways a [[computer]] [[communication|communicates]] with other computers on a [[network]]). It was written by [[Gordon Lyon]]. It can also do other kinds of scanning. This is because Nmap is [[open source]], so many people can help write it to make it better. Nmap works on most [[operating system]]s. It works on [[Linux]], [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Mac OS X]], [[Solaris]], and [[BSD]]. Most people use it on Linux, but many people use it on Windows. ==What Nmap can do== Here are some things Nmap can do: * Find computers on a network * Find open [[port]]s on those computers * Find out what [[computer program|services]] are using those ports * Find out what operating system is on the computers * Let a [[programmer]] choose what to do with the services it finds. The programmer can write ''Nmap Scripting Engine'' programs in the [[Lua]] [[programming language]]. Then Nmap will use those programs to decide what to do. Nmap also finds out other things about computers. It can find out [[DNS]] names, [[MAC address]]es, and the kind of computer it is. [[Category:Software]] {{Tech-stub}}