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Building a port scanner in Python
Inspector
In the realm of cybersecurity and network administration, understanding the communication landscape of a network is crucial. One of the fundamental tools for this purpose is a port scanner: a program that probes a host or range of hosts for open ports to help security professionals, network administrators, and ethical hackers assess potential vulnerabilities and ensure network integrity.
Developing a port scanner can be an insightful project for programmers interested in networking, security, and system administration by providing hands-on experience with concepts such as socket programming, multithreading, and network protocols.
In this article, I guide you through the process of developing a simple yet efficient port scanner in Python, covering the necessary background, fundamental concepts, and step-by-step implementation that allows you to build a functional tool that can scan a network for open ports. By the end of this guide, you will have a working knowledge of how port scanning works and how to implement it effectively in your projects.
Setting Up VS Code
To develop your port scanner project, you first need to configure Visual Studio (VS) Code. If you have the Microsoft repository set up, start by opening a terminal, updating your package list, and then installing VS Code by running (on Ubuntu):
sudo apt update sudo apt install code
Alternatively, you can download the .deb package from the official VS Code website and then install it and ensure that all dependencies are resolved:
sudo dpkg -i code_*.deb sudo apt --fix-broken install
Once VS Code is installed, launch it by typing code in the terminal or by searching for it in your applications menu. To streamline Python development, you should install three essential extensions: Pylance, Python, and Python Debugger. Inside VS Code, navigate to the
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