macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install nmapprovider-native install command
brew / rank 250
Install nmap with Homebrew
Port scanning utility for large networks. Version 7.99 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-22.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Port scanning utility for large networks
Project links
Commands and aliases
- ncat
- ndiff
- nmap
- nping
history
Project history and usage
Nmap, short for Network Mapper, is one of the defining open-source security and network-discovery tools. Gordon "Fyodor" Lyon released it in Phrack issue 51 on September 1, 1997 as a Linux-only port scanner of about 2,000 lines; it grew into a cross-platform scanner for host discovery, port scanning, version detection, OS detection, scripting, scan comparison, packet generation, and network troubleshooting.
Project history
The official Nmap history highlights rapid early expansion: version 2.00 added OS detection on December 12, 1998; the first GUI appeared in April 1999; Windows support landed in December 2000; Mac OS X support and XML output arrived with Nmap 3.00 on July 31, 2002; and service/version detection was publicly released with Nmap 3.45 on September 16, 2003. The scan engine was rewritten as `ultra_scan` in 2004, raw Ethernet sending appeared in 2005, and the Nmap Scripting Engine arrived in 2006.
Adoption history
Nmap's adoption is unusually broad for a security tool. The official guide describes millions of users worldwide, recognition by publications such as Linux Journal and InfoWorld, and repeated appearances in films. Its own timeline also notes security-community infrastructure: a public Subversion repository in 2006, Google Summer of Code participation, Zenmap integration, and the 2009 release of Ncat and Ndiff as companion tools.
How it is used
Package nerds install Nmap not only for `nmap` itself but for the companion commands Homebrew ships: `ncat`, `ndiff`, and `nping`. Everyday workflows include `nmap -A -T4 host` for an aggressive inventory scan, targeted `-sV` service/version detection, `-O` OS detection, `-sn` ping sweeps, NSE scripts for protocol checks, `ncat` for socket work, and `ndiff` to compare repeated XML scans.
Why package nerds care
Nmap is a canonical example of a CLI package whose upstream is bigger than a single binary: it carries data files, scripts, service probes, OS fingerprints, documentation, and multiple related tools. It is packaged almost everywhere, and Homebrew's API reported 14,039 installs in 30 days, 54,604 in 90 days, and 251,639 in 365 days when checked on July 1, 2026.
Timeline
- 1997-09-01: first release in Phrack issue 51.
- 1998-12-12: Nmap 2.00 adds OS detection.
- 2000-12-07: first official Windows-capable version.
- 2002-07-31: Nmap 3.00 adds Mac OS X support, XML output, and uptime detection.
- 2003-09-16: service/version detection is publicly released.
- 2006-12-10: Nmap Scripting Engine debuts in Nmap 4.21ALPHA1.
- 2009-01-23: Ncat and Ndiff are added.
- 2026-07-01: Homebrew stable version is 7.99.
Related projects
- Ncat
- Ndiff
- Nping
- Zenmap
- Npcap
- Nmap Scripting Engine
Sources
security posture
Risk level: red
network reconnaissance tool.
Risk classifier
red risk · medium confidence · escape-surveillance-offensive
Why
- network reconnaissance tool
Signals
- override:nmap
Install behavior
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
ncat | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
ndiff | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
nmap | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
nping | executable | indexed executable | Discovered from the local executable index. |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-08-03
manager version7.99
manager updated2026-06-22
local dataunknown
upstreamnot available
latest detectednot detected
- okNo freshness warnings were generated.
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:nmap |
|---|---|
| Version | 7.99 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Homepage | https://nmap.org/ |
| Last updated | 2026-06-22T14:05:38-07:00 |
| Pulse | updated |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Service | none declared |
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- curated package history
- pkgdb category and tag curation