Mastering Network Scanning with Nmap – My Experience on TryHackMe & Hack The Box

Hey Dev Community! 👋

I’ve been diving deep into network scanning and reconnaissance as part of my cybersecurity learning journey. Recently, I completed the following Nmap-focused labs on TryHackMe and Hack The Box Academy:

✅ Nmap Room (Beginner): https://tryhackme.com/room/furthernmap

✅ Further Nmap: https://tryhackme.com/room/nmap01

✅ HTB Academy: Nmap Module: https://academy.hackthebox.com/module/details/19
or
https://medium.com/@romimkhan5588/network-enumeration-with-nmap-hack-the-box-56770b36490e (walkthrough for Nmap module)

Let me walk you through what I’ve learned and why these rooms are worth checking out.

🛠️ 1. Nmap (Beginner) – TryHackMe
This room introduced me to the fundamentals of Nmap:

Understanding basic Nmap flags like -sS, -sV, -O, and -A

Running simple scans on different ports

Interpreting open/closed/filtered states

I also got hands-on with:

Host discovery

Service and version detection

Output formats (-oN, -oX, etc.)

🚀 2. Further Nmap – TryHackMe
This room builds on the basics and digs into advanced techniques:

Aggressive scanning and firewall evasion

Using Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) to run specific vulnerability checks

Timing and performance options (-T4, --min-rate, etc.)

My favorite part was learning how to:

Perform stealth scans

Use custom decoys and spoof MAC addresses

Chain Nmap with automation tools

🧠 3. Nmap Module – Hack The Box Academy
The HTB module gave me a structured and theory-backed understanding of:

TCP/IP background and how Nmap leverages it

Deep dive into scan types (TCP Connect, SYN, ACK, UDP)

Practical scenarios in offensive security

I appreciated how HTB combined educational content + interactive labs, helping me reinforce each concept in a real-world context.