Question 1

What is network mapping in cybersecurity?

Accepted Answer

Network mapping is the process of discovering and visualizing all devices, services, and connections within a network. Security professionals use tools like Nmap to identify live hosts, open ports, running services, and operating systems. This reconnaissance phase is critical in penetration testing to understand the attack surface and identify potential entry points before attempting exploitation.

Question 2

What are common ports and services that attackers target?

Accepted Answer

Frequently targeted ports include SSH (22), HTTP/HTTPS (80/443), SMB (445), RDP (3389), MySQL (3306), PostgreSQL (5432), and DNS (53). Attackers look for outdated service versions with known vulnerabilities, default credentials, and misconfigurations. Defenders should minimize exposed ports, keep services patched, and use firewalls to restrict access to only necessary ports and IP ranges.

Network Mapper

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