Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Tripwire VS Nmap

Compare Tripwire VS Nmap and see what are their differences

Tripwire logo Tripwire

Open Source Tripwire software is a security and data integrity tool useful for monitoring and...

Nmap logo Nmap

Nmap Free Security Scanner, Port Scanner, & Network Exploration Tool. Download open source software for Linux, Windows, UNIX, FreeBSD, etc.
  • Tripwire Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-16
  • Nmap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-15

Tripwire features and specs

  • Open Source
    Tripwire is an open-source tool, making it freely accessible and customizable according to the user's needs.
  • File Integrity Monitoring
    It provides robust file integrity monitoring, helping detect unauthorized changes to critical files and directories.
  • Comprehensive Logging
    Tripwire offers comprehensive logging capabilities, making it easier to track and audit changes over time.
  • Configurable Policies
    Users can configure policies to suit their specific security requirements, allowing for flexible and tailored monitoring.
  • Community Support
    Being open-source, Tripwire benefits from a community of users and developers who can provide support, share knowledge, and contribute to its development.

Possible disadvantages of Tripwire

  • Complex Configuration
    Setting up and configuring Tripwire can be complex and time-consuming, requiring a good understanding of both the tool and security settings.
  • Performance Overhead
    The constant monitoring and logging can introduce performance overhead, potentially slowing down the system being monitored.
  • Manual Updates
    Updating policies and rules is often a manual process, which can be labor-intensive and requires regular attention to stay effective.
  • False Positives
    Tripwire can generate a significant number of false positives, which can lead to alert fatigue and the potential overlooking of genuine threats.
  • Limited Real-Time Capabilities
    Tripwire is primarily designed for periodic checks rather than real-time monitoring, which may not be sufficient for environments requiring instant alerts on changes.

Nmap features and specs

  • Comprehensive Scanning
    Nmap can perform a wide variety of scans, including port scanning, service detection, and OS fingerprinting, making it a versatile tool for network exploration and security auditing.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, Nmap is free to use and has a large community of users contributing to its development and improvement.
  • Scripting Engine
    The Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) allows users to write custom scripts to automate tasks, detect vulnerabilities, and extract information, significantly extending its capabilities.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Nmap is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, ensuring broad accessibility for users.
  • Large Knowledge Base
    Nmap has extensive documentation and a wealth of online resources, tutorials, and community support, making it easier for beginners to learn and use the tool effectively.
  • Performance Optimization
    Nmap is designed to be efficient and can handle large networks, making it suitable for both small-scale and enterprise-level scanning.

Possible disadvantages of Nmap

  • Complexity
    Due to its extensive features and options, Nmap can be overwhelming for beginners, requiring a steep learning curve to fully utilize its capabilities.
  • Potential for Misuse
    Nmap can be used for malicious activities such as unauthorized network scanning, potentially leading to security violations and ethical concerns.
  • Permission Issues
    Using Nmap without proper authorization can be illegal in some jurisdictions, and unauthorized scans can be considered invasive or hostile by network administrators.
  • False Positives/Negatives
    Like any scanning tool, Nmap can produce false positives and negatives, requiring additional verification and analysis to ensure accuracy.
  • Resource Intensive
    Some Nmap scans, especially comprehensive ones, can be resource-intensive, potentially affecting network performance and consuming significant CPU and memory resources.
  • Network Disruption
    Aggressive scanning techniques used by Nmap can disrupt network services and lead to denial of service, particularly in sensitive or critical environments.

Analysis of Tripwire

Overall verdict

  • Tripwire is generally considered a good tool for those looking to maintain system integrity and boost security. It is robust, reliable, and offers a comprehensive solution for change detection, albeit with a possible learning curve for those not familiar with such tools.

Why this product is good

  • Tripwire is a well-regarded tool for monitoring and integrity checking on systems. It is particularly noted for its ability to detect unauthorized changes to crucial files, providing a critical layer of security for IT environments. This makes it popular among system administrators and security professionals who need to ensure the integrity of their systems and data.

Recommended for

  • System administrators
  • Security professionals
  • Organizations requiring high-level security and integrity checks
  • Environments where monitoring unauthorized changes is critical

Analysis of Nmap

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Nmap is a highly effective and reliable tool for network scanning and security auditing. Its comprehensive suite of features and frequent updates ensure it remains relevant in the constantly evolving landscape of network security.

Why this product is good

  • Nmap is widely regarded as a powerful and versatile network scanning tool. It is known for its ability to discover hosts and services on a computer network, thus creating a 'map' of the network. Security professionals and system administrators use it to conduct network inventory, manage service upgrade schedules, and monitor host or service uptime. Its robustness, open-source nature, and support of a wide range of platforms make it a staple in the toolkit of network security experts.

Recommended for

  • Network security professionals
  • System administrators
  • Penetration testers
  • IT professionals responsible for network management
  • Anyone interested in learning more about network mapping and security

Tripwire videos

Tripwire & Personal Alarm: The eAlarm + from BASU - $16 And Worth The Investment

More videos:

  • Review - TripWire Review- Nerves of Steel???
  • Review - Tripwire Be Trippin | Killing Floor 2 Review/Rant

Nmap videos

Nmap Tutorial For Beginners - 1 - What is Nmap?

More videos:

  • Review - Nmap - Review of Scan Types
  • Review - LABS 50 Bypassing Windows Firewall Using Nmap Evasion Techniques REVIEW

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Tripwire and Nmap)
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0
Monitoring Tools
17 17%
83% 83
Security
15 15%
85% 85
Network Scanning
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Tripwire and Nmap. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Tripwire and Nmap

Tripwire Reviews

We have no reviews of Tripwire yet.
Be the first one to post

Nmap Reviews

The Top 5 Open Source Vulnerability Scanners
Nmap is a tool that scans ports, does service fingerprinting, and identifies versions of operating systems. Nmap also comes with a scripting engine that detects security vulnerabilities. Once these are detected, Vulcan’s platform can help you to prioritize and fix vulnerabilities.
Source: vulcan.io
9 Best Angry IP Scanner Alternatives Reviewed 2021 (Free & Paid)
If you’re a network administrator looking for more depth and raw power from a port scanner, look no further than Nmap. What Nmap lacks in frills and functional GUI it makes up for with sheer command-line based power. If you’re not a fan of strictly just a command-line interface, you can always use Zenmap, which is the exact same software just with a graphical interface. Both...
15 Best Nmap Alternatives Network Security Scanner
Nmap is an open-source tool that lots of IT professionals find useful in their careers. It is a tool that can locate available hosts and other services that they offer within a network. The Nmap program makes use of raw IP packets to find the hosts and services that are available.
10 Best WireShark Alternatives for Android Devices in 2021
Nmap is a popular open-source network scanning app for Android and desktop. While it works on both rooted and non-rooted Android, you get more functionality during a rooted Android smartphone. Like some apps, Nmap is not available on Google play store or their website.
Source: techreen.com
Alternatives to Nmap: from simple to advanced network scanning
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Nmap, the open-source network mapping tool that became the standard used by many IT professionals, but that can be a bit much if you only need to do general network maintenance and are intimidated by its command-line interface.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Nmap seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 200 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Tripwire mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Tripwire yet. Tracking of Tripwire recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Nmap mentions (200)

  • 🛡️ Top 10 Free Penetration Testing Tools Every Security Team Should Use in 2025
    Nmap (Network Mapper) is like a GPS for your network. Scan ports, find devices, and discover what’s alive and vulnerable. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • 3 Types of Chaos Experiments and How To Run Them
    Start by mapping out your network’s topology, including routers, switches, gateways, and the connections between different segments. Tools like Nmap or network diagram software can help visualize your network’s structure. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • How to Install and Use Nmap in Termux
    If you want to scan a website, Nmap can help you find its open ports, see active IPs, and get other important details quickly. For anyone serious about cybersecurity, Nmap is a necessary tool. To learn more, visit their official website at Nmap.org. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Your First Ethical Hack: Learn Network Scanning with Nmap
    Starting Nmap 7.80 ( https://nmap.org ) at 2025-04-12 00:10 IST Nmap scan report for scanme.nmap.org (45.33.32.156) Host is up (0.24s latency). Other addresses for scanme.nmap.org (not scanned): 2600:3c01::f03c:91ff:fe18:bb2f Not shown: 991 closed ports PORT STATE SERVICE 22/tcp open ssh 25/tcp filtered smtp 80/tcp open http 135/tcp filtered msrpc 139/tcp filtered netbios-ssn 161/tcp ... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • The Impact of Open-Source Tools in Cyber Warfare: A Deep Dive
    The democratization of powerful software technologies is a double-edged sword. On one hand, open-source tools empower organizations and individuals to bolster their cybersecurity defenses without incurring steep financial costs. On the other hand, these same tools can be harnessed by malicious actors, leading to a surge in both the frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks. Open-source resources like Metasploit... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Tripwire and Nmap, you can also consider the following products

Qualys - Qualys helps your business automate the full spectrum of auditing, compliance and protection of your IT systems and web applications.

Angry IP Scanner - Open-source and cross-platform network scanner designed to be fast and simple to use

Tenable.io - Tenable.io Cyber Exposure platform helps to protect any asset on any computing platform and eliminate blind spots.

Zenmap - Zenmap is the official cross-platform GUI for the Nmap Security Scanner.

BreachLock - BreachLock is a versatile platform that provides scalable and smooth penetration testing services for vulnerabilities.

Fing - Discover which devices are connected to any Wi-Fi network, map devices, detect intruders, assess...