Which File format Zenmap Stores scans in?

Are you a network administrator or a cyber security expert who has just started using Zenmap as their go-to tool for all the network administration work? If yes, then you must keep yourself well informed about which file format Zenmap stores scan in, so that you can easily access the data in future.

Which file format do Zenmap stores scan in?

Zenmap, the graphical user interface for the Nmap tool, stores scans in the “Nmap XML format.” 

This format is a machine-readable format that can be used to import and export scan results and can be viewed in Zenmap or other programs that support the format.

Now, there is much more to explore about the XML format, so we have tried to give a brief explanation of the same in the next segment.

What is an XML format?

Extensible Markup Language shortly known as XML is a markup language that is used to store and transport data. It is a standard format for creating documents that can be read by both humans and machines.

XML documents are composed of elements, which are defined by tags, and are structured in a hierarchical tree-like format.

XML allows the developer to create their own tags, so it is very flexible. It is widely used in a variety of applications such as data exchange, configuration files, and web services.

XML documents are plain text files and can be edited using any text editor.

XML is similar to HTML, but it is intended for data, and not for presentation.

While HTML is used to format and display data in a web browser, XML is used to describe the data and its structure so that it can be easily shared and exchanged between different systems and platforms.

Now, after this brief explanation of the XML format, we can clearly conclude that it is one of the best file formats to store Zenmap scans.

Although, many of the users are still not well versed with Zenmap and the process of storing scans in Zenmap. 

So, we have tried to give a brief explanation of what Zenmap is, followed by a short tutorial on how to store scans in Zenmap.

What is Zenmap?

Zenmap as mentioned earlier is the official graphical user interface (GUI) for the Nmap Security Scanner. It is an open-source tool that allows users to easily and interactively map networks, perform network scans, and analyze the results. 

Zenmap provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to use Nmap’s advanced features, such as OS detection, version detection, and script scanning.

It also includes additional features such as saving and comparing scan results and generating customizable reports. It runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Additionally, it is a popular tool among system administrators and security professionals and is commonly used for tasks such as network mapping, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing.

It is also widely used by many organizations and companies as well as educational institutions.

However, as with any network scanning tool, it is important to use Zenmap responsibly and with proper authorization. 

How to store scans in Zenmap?

To store a scan in Zenmap, all you need to do is follow the steps that are mentioned below:

  • Open the Zenmap app on your PC.
  • Then, perform a scan by entering the target host or IP address and clicking the “Scan” button.
  • Now, once the scan gets completed, the results will be displayed in the “Results” tab.
  • Next, go to the “File” menu, and then select the “Save” or “Save As” option.
  • After that, in the Save dialog box, select the location where you want to save the file, and then enter a name for the file. 
  • By default, your scans will be saved in XML format. But, you can also choose another format if you like.
  • Lastly, click on the “Save” option to save the scan results.

Alternatively, you can also right-click on the scan result in the results tab and select the “Save As” option to save the scan results.

Note: You can also save the scan results in other formats such as TXT, Grepable, CSV and HTML.

Conclusion:

If you are a network administrator or a cyber security expert who has just started your journey on network mapping, vulnerability scanning and penetration testing, then Zenmap the GUI version of NMap can be an excellent choice for you as it saves the scans in the XML file format by default, which again is a versatile file format that works with most of the programs.

However, if you want to keep your options open, then you can also save it in TXT, CSV, HTML or Grepable format.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is Zenmap legit? 

Yes, Zenmap is a legitimate and widely used tool. It is the official graphical user interface for the Nmap Security Scanner, which is a well-established and widely used open-source tool for network exploration and security auditing. 

Who has developed and maintained Zenmap?

Zenmap is developed and maintained by the Nmap Project, a group of open-source developers.

Is it illegal to perform unauthorized scans via Zenmap?

Yes, unauthorized scanning of networks can be illegal and may cause damage to the systems that is being scanned. It is also important to consider the ethical implications of using such tools and to respect the privacy of others.

How is Zenmap different from NMap?

NMap is a command line network scanner tool that is used to detect hosts and services, while Zenmap on the other hand is the graphical version of NMap. 

Author

  • Ashish Simon

    Hello folks! I am Ashish Pawar – A graduate from the field of Arts but an avid admirer of all things tech; therefore, made a leap into writing technical articles for ‘how-to’ guides and ‘informational content’ with the aim to make tech understandable for the masses. I have been in this field for more than a year now. My ideology is that even a layman should be able to understand tech easily. As a creative individual I am also passionately engaged in activities like photography, music, and dance.