Nmap MCP Server
A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes Nmap CLI functionality as MCP tools using FastMCP with stdio transport. This server provides comprehensive network scanning capabilities through the Nmap command-line tool.
🚀 FastMCP Implementation
This server is built using FastMCP, a modern, high-performance MCP framework that provides:
- Simplified API: Clean decorator-based tool registration
- Type Safety: Full type hints and validation
- Stdio Transport: Efficient communication via standard input/output
- Async Support: Non-blocking operations with proper error handling
Features
The Nmap MCP Server exposes the following tools using FastMCP decorators:
1. Basic Scan (nmap_basic_scan)
Perform basic Nmap scans with different intensity levels:
- Quick: Fast scan with high throughput
- Comprehensive: Full scan with service detection and OS detection
- Stealth: Low-profile scan to avoid detection
2. Service Detection (nmap_service_detection)
Detect services and versions running on target hosts with configurable intensity levels (0-9).
3. OS Detection (nmap_os_detection)
Detect operating systems running on target hosts with configurable retry attempts.
4. Script Scanning (nmap_script_scan)
Run NSE (Nmap Scripting Engine) scripts for advanced reconnaissance and vulnerability assessment.
5. Stealth Scan (nmap_stealth_scan)
Perform SYN scans with minimal detection using configurable timing templates.
6. Comprehensive Scan (nmap_comprehensive_scan)
Perform full-featured scans combining multiple detection methods.
7. Ping Scan (nmap_ping_scan)
Discover live hosts using various ping methods (ICMP, TCP, or both).
8. Port Scan (nmap_port_scan)
Scan specific ports using different methods (SYN, Connect, UDP).
9. Vulnerability Scan (nmap_vulnerability_scan)
Run vulnerability detection scripts with different categories.
10. Network Discovery (nmap_network_discovery)
Discover hosts and services on entire networks.
11. Custom Scan (nmap_custom_scan)
Perform scans with user-defined Nmap options for maximum flexibility.
Prerequisites
- Python 3.10 or higher
- Nmap installed and available in your system PATH
Installing Nmap
macOS:
brew install nmap
Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install nmap
CentOS/RHEL:
sudo yum install nmap
# or for newer versions:
sudo dnf install nmap
Windows: Download and install from nmap.org
Installation
- Clone this repository:
git clone <repository-url>
cd nmap-mcp-server
- Install dependencies:
pip install -e .
Usage
Running the FastMCP Server
The server can be run directly with stdio transport:
python server.py
Or using the installed script:
nmap-mcp-server
Claude Desktop Configuration
Add the following configuration to your Claude Desktop MCP settings:
{
"mcpServers": {
"NmapMCP": {
"command": "uv",
"args": [
"--directory",
"/Users/haji/mcp-servers/nmap-mcp-server",
"run",
"server.py"
]
}
}
}
Configuration Steps:
- Open Claude Desktop
- Go to Settings → MCP Servers
- Add the JSON configuration above
- Restart Claude Desktop
- Verify the server is connected
FastMCP Tool Examples
Basic Network Scan
# The tool is called with typed parameters
result = await nmap_basic_scan(
targets="192.168.1.0/24",
ports="common",
scan_type="quick"
)
Service Detection
result = await nmap_service_detection(
targets="example.com",
ports="80,443,8080",
intensity=7
)
Vulnerability Assessment
result = await nmap_vulnerability_scan(
targets="192.168.1.100",
ports="common",
vuln_category="all"
)
Custom Scan
result = await nmap_custom_scan(
targets="example.com",
custom_options="-sS -p 1-1000 -A --script=vuln",
output_format="normal"
)
FastMCP Architecture
The server uses FastMCP's clean decorator pattern:
@app.tool(
name="nmap_basic_scan",
description="Perform a basic Nmap scan of specified targets"
)
async def nmap_basic_scan(
targets: str,
ports: str = "common",
scan_type: str = "quick"
) -> str:
"""Perform a basic Nmap scan of specified targets."""
# Implementation here
return result
Security Considerations
⚠️ Important Security Notes:
- Legal Compliance: Only scan networks and systems you own or have explicit permission to scan.
- Network Impact: Some scans can be resource-intensive and may impact network performance.
- Detection: Aggressive scans may trigger security systems and firewalls.
- Rate Limiting: The server includes timeouts and rate limiting to prevent abuse.
Error Handling
The FastMCP server includes comprehensive error handling for:
- Nmap command not found
- Command timeouts
- Invalid arguments
- Network connectivity issues
- Permission errors
Logging
The server uses Python's built-in logging system. Logs include:
- Command execution details
- Error messages
- Performance metrics
Testing
Test the FastMCP server:
# Test tool registration and functionality
python test_fastmcp.py
# Test examples
python example_usage.py
Contributing
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch
- Make your changes
- Add tests if applicable
- Submit a pull request
License
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
Disclaimer
This tool is for educational and authorized security testing purposes only. Users are responsible for ensuring they have proper authorization before scanning any network or system.
Support
For issues and questions:
- Check the error logs
- Verify Nmap is installed and accessible
- Ensure you have proper permissions
- Open an issue on the repository
Changelog
Version 1.0.0
- Initial release with FastMCP implementation
- Support for all major Nmap scanning techniques
- Comprehensive error handling
- Stdio transport mode
- Type-safe tool definitions
- Claude Desktop configuration with uv