Nmap 6.0 Released

By

Major enhancements debut with the latest release of the popular Nmap security scanner.

The Nmap Project has announced the immediate, free availability of the Nmap Security Scanner version 6.0. According to the announcement, this release is the product of almost three years of work, 3,924 code commits, and more than a dozen point releases since Nmap 5 was released in 2009. 

Nmap (which stands for Network Mapper) is a free and open source (license) utility for network discovery and security auditing. According to the website, the major enhancements in this version include:

  • Enhanced Nmap Scripting Engine
  • Better web scanning
  • Full IPv6 support
  • New Nping tool
  • Better Zenmap GUI and results viewer
  • Faster scans

The development team recommends that all current users upgrade to the new version.

With the release of version 6 complete, the Nmap developers are looking ahead to the next development cycle. According to the future plans on the website, features in the works include: an updater system for obtaining the latest NSE scripts, OS fingerprint updates, high-speed port scanning through http or socks proxies, and even more NSE scripts.

Extensive information about this latest release is available at: http://nmap.org/6/.

05/25/2012

Related content

  • Develop your own scripts for Nmap
    Nmap does a great job with standard penetration testing tasks, but for specific security analyses, you will want to develop your own test scripts. The Nmap Scripting Engine makes this possible.
  • Protect Your Servers with Nmap

    If you've ever had to test the security of your servers, you've almost certainly come across the ever-flexible Nmap (Network Mapper) – used by sys admins to help protect their servers and diagnose problems.

  • Managing Port Scan Results with Dr. Portscan

    Regularly scanning the ports on your own network prevents intruders from sneaking in, but if you have dozens or hundreds of servers, you’ll need professional help: Dr. Portscan to the rescue.

  • Security issues when dealing with Docker images
    Although developers appreciate Docker's ease of use and flexibility, many admins are worried about vulnerabilities. We look at various approaches to securing container images and the price to be paid.
  • Understanding Autodiscovery

    A lack of information about your infrastructure can result in faulty system configuration and other difficulties. Automatic discovery of all hosts and services would seem to be the best solution – but can it also prove itself in practice?

comments powered by Disqus