> It could be argued that Nmap is malware, and such software has already > been called to be made illegal. > > If I was Cnet, I would stop distributing his software altogether. > > Link: http://nmap.org/book/legal-issues.html
It could. But making such an argument calls the arguer's grasp of reality into question. Nmap is a tool, like any other. It has no more ethical value than a nail gun or a hammer. In the hands of an engineer, it is a valuable addition to a toolkit. In the hands of an attacker, it can become a weapon. If it could be argued that Nmap is malware, then it could be argued that hammers are weapons; therefore, we should call on Home Depot to stop carrying these deadly instruments with all due alacrity - or at least have governments step in and create licensing programs for hand tools. Nathan Eisenberg
