Editing Nmap (section)

==Legal issues==
Nmap is a tool that can be used to discover services running on Internet connected systems. Like any tool, it could potentially be used for [[Black hat hacker|black hat hacking]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.securityfocus.com/news/10011 |title=Hacking tool reportedly draws FBI subpoenas |publisher=SecurityFocus.com |date=2004-11-24 |access-date=2018-10-29 |first=Kevin |last=[[Kevin Poulsen|Poulsen]]}}</ref> as a precursor to attempts to gain unauthorized access to computer systems. However, Nmap is also used by security and systems administrators to assess their own networks for vulnerabilities (i.e. [[White hat hacker|white hat hacking]]).

System administrators can use Nmap to search for unauthorized servers, or for computers that do not conform to security standards.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.techsupportalert.com/pdf/t04123.pdf |title=How To Conduct A Security Audit |magazine=PC Network Advisor |date=July 2000 |issue=120 |access-date=2018-10-29 |archive-date=2021-04-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427043529/https://www.techsupportalert.com/pdf/t04123.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2003 [[Supreme Court of Finland]] has ruled that port scanning has amounted to an attempted computer break in, which was illegal under Finnish Penal code at the time:<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=First ruling by the Supreme Court of Finland on attempted break-in |year=2003 |url=http://www.osborneclarke.com/publications/text/ITM0903f.htm |publisher=[[Osborne Clarke]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050505213444/http://www.osborneclarke.com/publications/text/ITM0903f.htm |archive-date=2005-05-05 |access-date=2018-10-29}}</ref><blockquote>''In its ruling the Supreme Court stated that the defendant had systematically carried out port scanning operations to gather information for the purpose of unauthorised break-in to the bank's computer network. This amounted to an attempted computer break in.<ref name=":0" />''</blockquote>