An Autonomous

Institution
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

BATCH - 18

TITLE: NETWORK VULNERABILITY SCANNER

MINI PROJECT REVIEW - 1

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PRESENTED BY: CSE - III - C
1. NANDHAKUMAR SG -
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2. SANDEEP S - VH
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No.12861
GUIDE ADVISOR:
3. SANJAY V - VH
[Link] /[Link]/CSE
No.12864
Date: 29-08-2025
 ABSTRACT
In today’s digital era, computer networks form the backbone of communication, data transfer,
and online services. With the exponential growth of technology, organizations and individuals
are highly dependent on networks for storing, processing, and transmitting sensitive
information. However, this dependence has also given rise to numerous security threats such
as unauthorized access, malware attacks, and data breaches. Network vulnerabilities, if left
undetected, can expose systems to severe risks, making network security a critical concern.
This project, titled “Network Vulnerability Scanner”, aims to design and implement a
lightweight yet effective tool that can analyse a given network or host system for potential
vulnerabilities. The scanner works by identifying open ports, services running on these ports,
and misconfigurations that may be exploited by attackers. It incorporates basic penetration
testing concepts to detect weak points such as default credentials, insecure protocols, or
outdated software versions. By simulating an attacker’s reconnaissance phase, the scanner
provides system administrators and security analysts with detailed insights into their network’s
security posture.
The mini project is developed using Python due to its simplicity, cross-platform support, and
availability of powerful libraries such as socket, os, and nmap for network interaction. The tool
is designed with modularity in mind, enabling easy addition of new scanning features in the
future. A user-friendly command-line interface or graphical user interface (GUI)
(Tkinter/Streamlit) is provided for better accessibility.
 INTRODUCTION
A Network Vulnerability Scanner is a security tool that inspects a system or
network to detect potential vulnerabilities such as open ports, insecure
services, weak credentials, outdated software, and
misconfigurations. By simulating the reconnaissance phase of a
cyberattack, it provides a clear picture of the security posture of the network.
These scanners act as the “first line of defense” in proactive security
management, enabling administrators to strengthen their networks before
malicious actors can exploit them.
This mini project focuses on designing and implementing a simple, efficient,
and cost-effective Network Vulnerability Scanner using Python. The
scanner leverages Python libraries such as socket, os, and third-party tools
like nmap to perform port scanning, service enumeration, and vulnerability
detection. The tool is designed to be user-friendly, providing clear reports of
detected weaknesses along with actionable insights. Additionally, it serves as
a valuable educational project that demonstrates the fundamental principles
of cybersecurity, ethical hacking, and network defense strategies.
 LITERATURE SURVEY 1

Title of the Research Paper : Vulnerability Scanning of

University Computer Network Using Zenmap
Authors:Kismat Chhillar
KEY POINTS:
Demonstrates use of Zenmap (Nmap's GUI) for scanning a university
network.
Implements host discovery and port/service enumeration to identify
vulnerabilities.
REQUIREMENTS:
Focused on a small, controlled environment (Bundelkhand University); results may
not generalize.
Lacks discussion on false positives, scan performance, or authenticated vs.
unauthenticated scanning.
 LITERATURE SURVEY 2

Title of the Research Paper :Vulnerability Assessment of

University Computer Network Using Scanning Tool Nexpose
Authors:Kismat Chhillar
Key Points: Uses Nexpose tool for vulnerability
assessment in a similar university environment.
Materials Used:
Emphasis on scanning and reporting; lacks evaluation of scanner
accuracy or comparison with other tools.
Doesn’t address authenticated scans, performance metrics, or
scalability.
 LITERATURE SURVEY 3

Title of the Research Paper :Performance of Automated

Network Vulnerability Scanning at Remediating Security Issues
Authors:(Not specified in summary) – published in Computers
& Security (2011)
Key Points:: Finds that scanners with credentials are more
effective; better detection tends to correlate with higher false
alarm rates.
Materials Used:
Highlights trade-offs between detection capability and false
positives.
 EXISTING SYSTEM
In the existing system, network administrators rely on traditional security mechanisms such
as firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and antivirus software to safeguard
networks. While these tools provide a level of protection, they are often reactive in nature,
detecting attacks only after they occur rather than preventing them proactively.
Many existing scanners like Nmap, OpenVAS, and Nessus are available, but they require
significant technical expertiseto operate effectively. Moreover, these tools may generate
large volumes of raw data that are difficult to analyze without proper filtering or
prioritization.
1. Focus mainly on port scanning and service detection without integrating vulnerability
databases effectively.
2. Lack automation in correlating discovered services with known vulnerabilities.
3. Are resource-intensive, making them unsuitable for small-scale organizations with
limited infrastructure.
4. Provide minimal support for real-time vulnerability updates and continuous monitoring.
 METHODOLOGY
1. Requirement Analysis
Hardware: A computer/laptop with at least 4 GB RAM, stable network connection, and test
machines/VMs.
Software: Python (3.x), Nmap, OpenVAS/Greenbone (optional), OWASP ZAP (for web
scanning), CVE/NVD dataset, report generation libraries (e.g., ReportLab, Pandas).
Environment: Linux/Windows OS with administrative privileges.
Scope Definition: Decide the IP range or systems to be scanned (must be within
legal/ethical boundaries).

2. System Design
The scanner is designed in modular stages:
1. Input Module – User specifies target IP address or range.
2. Discovery Module – Detects live hosts in the network (ping/ARP scans).
3. Port & Service Scanning Module – Identifies open ports and running services (using Nmap).
4. Fingerprinting Module – Detects operating system and service versions.
5. Vulnerability Mapping Module – Matches services/versions against known vulnerabilities
 METHODOLOGY
3. Implementation steps:
1. Host Discovery
2. Port & Service Scanning
3. Vulnerability Database Integration
4. Risk Assessment
5. Optional Advanced Modules
6. Report Generation
4. Model Evaluation:
Test Environment: Use vulnerable virtual machines (e.g., Metasploitable, DVWA) to
validate scanner accuracy.
[Link] Outcome
A functional Network Vulnerability Scanner capable of:
Discovering hosts and services.
Detecting vulnerabilities mapped to CVEs.
Providing risk-based prioritization.
Generating detailed reports for administrators.
WORK FLOW
ALGORITHM USED
 ALGORITHM USED

Host Discovery Algorithm (Network Scanning)

Purpose: To find live hosts in a network.
Common techniques:
ICMP Echo Request/Reply (Ping Scan)
ARP Scan (for local networks)
TCP SYN Ping or ACK Ping (firewall-friendly discovery).
Example: Nmap’s -sn option.

Port Scanning Algorithm

Purpose: Identify open, closed, and filtered ports.
Common scanning techniques:
TCP SYN Scan (half-open, stealthy).
TCP Connect Scan (full handshake).
 ALGORITHM USED

Vulnerability Mapping Algorithm

Purpose: Map detected service versions to known vulnerabilities.
Technique:
Match service version (CPE – Common Platform Enumeration) with vulnerabilities
from CVE/NVD database.
Example: Apache 2.4.49 → CVE-2021-41773 (Path Traversal).
OS Detection Algorithm
Purpose: Identify the operating system of the target host.
Technique:
Analyze TCP/IP stack behavior (TTL, window size, DF flag, ICMP responses).
Compare with known OS fingerprint database.
 ALGORITHM USED
Risk Assessment Algorithm (CVSS Scoring)
Purpose: Assign severity to vulnerabilities.
Technique:
Use CVSS v3.1 formula (Base Score = Impact × Exploitability).
Categorize vulnerabilities as Low, Medium, High, Critical.

Reporting Algorithm
Purpose: Generate structured output for users.
Technique:
Collect all detected vulnerabilities.
Rank them based on severity.
Export results in PDF/CSV/HTML format.
 EXPERIMENTAL RESULT

The proposed Network Vulnerability Scanner was tested in a controlled environment using
a host machine running Kali Linux as the scanner and a Metasploitable 2 virtual machine
as the target. The scanner was developed in Python with the integration of Nmap, Scapy,
and CVE/NVD datasets for vulnerability mapping. During the experiment, the target IP
address [Link] was scanned to identify live hosts, open ports, and running
services. The host discovery phase confirmed that the target system was active, after
which port scanning revealed multiple open ports such as 21 (FTP), 22 (SSH), 23 (Telnet),
80 (HTTP), and 3306 (MySQL). Service fingerprinting identified the exact versions of these
services, including vsftpd 2.3.4, Apache 2.2.8, and MySQL 5.0.51a.
The vulnerability mapping algorithm successfully matched the detected versions with
publicly available vulnerabilities from the CVE database. For instance, vsftpd 2.3.4 was
linked to CVE-2011-2523, a critical backdoor vulnerability, while Apache 2.2.8 was
associated with CVE-2009-1890, a denial-of-service vulnerability. Similarly, MySQL 5.0.51a
was mapped to CVE-2008-2079, which allows privilege escalation. Each detected
vulnerability was then evaluated using the CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System),
classifying them into critical, high, and medium severity levels. The scanner generated a
structured PDF report summarizing the findings along with suggested remediation
measures.
 EXPERIMENTAL RESULT
The experimental results demonstrate that the scanner effectively
identified real vulnerabilities in the target system, validated its detection
accuracy, and prioritized threats based on severity. The performance
evaluation showed that the scanning process took approximately 30
seconds to analyze a single host with 1000 common ports. These results
highlight the efficiency of the proposed system in identifying network risks
and emphasize the importance of timely patching and mitigation
strategies to maintain network security.
 CONCLUSION
The Network Vulnerability Scanner developed in this mini project
successfully demonstrated the process of identifying and analyzing security
weaknesses in a networked system. By integrating port scanning, service
fingerprinting, and vulnerability mapping using CVE databases, the tool was
able to detect real vulnerabilities such as backdoors, denial-of-service risks,
and privilege escalation flaws in the test environment. The experimental
results showed that the scanner could efficiently identify open ports,
associate them with potential vulnerabilities, and classify their severity
based on CVSS scores.
This project highlights the importance of proactive vulnerability assessment
in ensuring network security. It proves that even simple automated
scanning tools can provide valuable insights into system weaknesses and
help prioritize remediation efforts. While the current implementation
focuses on fundamental scanning and mapping, it provides a strong
foundation for future enhancements such as real-time monitoring,
credentialed scanning, advanced reporting, and integration with intrusion
detection systems.
 REFERENCES
[1] G. F. Lyon, Nmap Network Scanning: The Official Nmap Project Guide to Network
Discovery and Security Scanning, [Link] LLC, 2009.
[2] OWASP Foundation, “OWASP Top Ten Security Risks.” [Online]. Available:
[Link]
[3] MITRE Corporation, “Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE).” [Online].
Available: [Link]
[4] National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), “National Vulnerability
Database (NVD).” [Online]. Available: [Link]
[5] R. Lippmann, et al., “The 1999 DARPA Off-line Intrusion Detection Evaluation,”
Computer Networks, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 579–595, 2000.
[6] W. Stallings, Cryptography and Network Security: Principles and Practice, 7th
ed., Pearson Education, 2017.
[7] Scapy Project, “Scapy Documentation.” [Online]. Available: [Link]
[8] SANS Institute, “Vulnerability Scanning Fundamentals.” [Online]. Available:
[Link]
 REFERENCES

[9] M. R. Neamah, J. Kh-Madhloom, O. A. Hassen, Z. Z. Abidin, O. A.

Hassen, ‘Fuzzy Logic Integrated Security Aware Algorithm for Vulnerability
Avoidance in Network Environment’, J. Adv. Res. Dyn. Control
Syst., 10(10-Special Issue), pp. 785–794, 2018.
[10] L. Wang, R. Abbas, F. M. Almansour, G. S. Gaba, R. Alroobaea, M.
Masud, ‘An empirical study on vulnerability assessment and penetration
detection for highly sensitive networks’, J. Intell. Syst., 30(1),
pp. 592–603, 2021.708 Y. Xue
[11] J. Li, J. Chen, M. Huang, M. Zhou, W. Xie, Z. Zeng, S. Chen, Z.
Zhang, ‘An Integration Testing Framework and Evaluation Metric for
Vulnerability Mining Methods’, China Commun., 15(2), pp. 190–208,
2018.
[12] A. Abdul Rasheed, ‘Vulnerability detection towards protecting intrusion
by Social Network Analysis approach,’ 2021 5th International Conference
on Trends in Electronics and Informatics (ICOEI), Tirunelveli,
India, pp. 1219–1224, 2021.
Thank you
PRESENTED BY: CSE - III - C
1. NANDHAKUMAR SG -
TRANSFER
2. SANDEEP S - VH
No.12861
3. SANJAY V - VH
No.12864