Nmap (Network Mapper)

Nmap is a network discovery and port scanning tool. In Panoptic Scans it runs with the vulners script so that discovered services can be checked against vulnerability data for CVE coverage.

What it does

Nmap discovers open ports, identifies running services, and performs OS detection where possible. The vulners integration adds CVE-oriented findings based on banners and service fingerprints, giving you a quick view of known issues tied to what is actually listening on the target.

Target types

Use IP addresses, hostnames, and CIDR ranges. Do not use URLs with http:// or https://—Nmap operates at the network layer, not as a web crawler.

Fast reconnaissance

Nmap runs are typically quicker than full OpenVAS assessments; they are well suited to mapping what is exposed before deeper testing.

When to use this scanner

Choose Nmap when you want fast scanning, network reconnaissance, and port auditing. It is especially useful for discovering your external attack surface: which addresses and services are reachable from the internet and whether known CVEs apply to those service versions.

Target format

Examples of valid targets:

203.0.113.50
scan.example.com
198.51.100.0/28

Examples of invalid targets for Nmap:

https://www.example.com/
http://203.0.113.50/
www.example.com/path

How to run a scan

From the dashboard, open New Scan. Select Nmap as the scan type, enter your IP, hostname, or CIDR range (one or more as the form allows), name the scan, add a schedule if needed, and submit. Refer to Running Scans for every field on the New Scan form.