Active Recon

TCP and UDP are fundamental protocols that govern communication across networks, but they differ in their approach:

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol):

• Connection-oriented: Establishes a virtual connection between two devices before data transmission, ensuring reliable and ordered delivery.

• Reliable: Uses error checking and retransmission mechanisms to guarantee data arrives correctly and in sequence.

• Slower: The connection setup and error checking introduce some overhead, making it slightly slower than UDP.

• Suitable for: Applications that require reliable data transfer, like web browsing, file transfer, and email.

UDP (User Datagram Protocol):

• Connectionless: Sends data packets (datagrams) directly without establishing a connection, making it faster and simpler.

• Unreliable: Doesn't guarantee delivery or order of packets. Applications need to implement their own error checking if needed.

• Faster: Lower overhead due to the lack of connection setup and error checking.

• Suitable for: Applications that prioritize speed over reliability, like online gaming, live streaming, and DNS lookups.

Scanning TCP and UDP Ports:

Port scanning involves sending packets to specific ports on a target device to see if they are open (listening for connections) or closed (not accepting connections). Here's how it works:

1. Specify Target: You provide the IP address of the target device.

2. Select Ports: Define the range of ports you want to scan (common ports or custom ranges).

3. Protocol Choice: Choose between TCP or UDP scan depending on the type of service you're looking for.

4. Scan Initiated: The scanning tool sends packets to each port on the target device.

5. Response Analysis: The tool analyzes the response from the target device to determine if the port is open, closed, or filtered (firewalls might block the scan attempt).

Tools for Port Scanning:

Several tools are available for scanning TCP and UDP ports. Here are a few popular options:

• Nmap (Network Mapper): A free and open-source network security scanner with a vast array of features, including TCP and UDP port scanning. It offers various scan types, customization options, and powerful reporting capabilities. https://nmap.org/

• Nessus: A commercial vulnerability scanner with a comprehensive set of features, including TCP and UDP port scanning. It goes beyond basic port scanning to identify potential vulnerabilities on the target device. https://www.tenable.com/products/nessus/nessus-professional

• Angry IP Scanner: A free and easy-to-use tool for basic TCP and UDP port scanning. It provides a quick overview of open ports on a target device. https://angryip.org/download/

• Netcat (nc): A versatile command-line networking tool that can be used for various purposes, including basic TCP and UDP port scanning. https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E86824_01/html/E54763/netcat-1.html

Network Scanning and Host Discovery:

1. Nmap:

   • Nmap is a versatile open-source tool used for network scanning and host discovery. It can identify open ports, services, and OS details. Usage example: nmap -sS -p 1-65535 -T4 -A target_ip.

2. Masscan:

   • Masscan is a high-speed network scanner that can scan the entire internet in under six minutes. Usage example: masscan -p1-65535 target_ip.

3. Angry IP Scanner:

   • Angry IP Scanner is a lightweight and cross-platform network scanner for discovering active hosts. Usage example: Enter the target IP range and click "Start."

4. Sparta:

   • Sparta is a Python tool that combines multiple scanning and enumeration tools to simplify the information-gathering process.