Nätverksskannrar

Nätverksskannrar, often referred to as network scanners, are software tools or hardware devices used to discover and identify devices connected to a computer network. They probe network hosts and services to gather information about their presence, configuration, and potential vulnerabilities. The primary function of a network scanner is to build an inventory of network assets, which is crucial for network administration, security auditing, and troubleshooting.

These tools operate by sending specific types of network packets, such as ICMP echo requests (pings) or TCP/UDP connection attempts, to a range of IP addresses. Devices that respond to these probes are considered active on the network. Beyond simple host discovery, advanced scanners can also identify the operating systems running on hosts, the services (e.g., web servers, mail servers) they are offering, and even the versions of these services. This detailed information helps network administrators understand their network topology and security posture.

Common uses for network scanners include identifying rogue devices that have been connected to the network without authorization, verifying that all intended devices are online and functioning correctly, and performing security assessments to find open ports or known vulnerabilities. Some scanners can also perform banner grabbing, which retrieves the banner text displayed by network services, often revealing information about the software and its version. The data collected by network scanners can be invaluable for both proactive network management and reactive incident response.