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This guide covers installation of scan4all on Linux, macOS, and Windows, including all required dependencies.

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System Requirements

  • Operating System: Linux, macOS, or Windows
  • Go Version: 1.21.4 or higher (if building from source)
  • Memory: Minimum 2GB RAM recommended
  • Disk Space: At least 500MB for binaries and POC database
  • Network: Root/Administrator privileges for SYN scanning

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Required Dependencies

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libpcap Library

scan4all requires the libpcap library for packet capture functionality. This is a mandatory dependency. 
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y libpcap-dev libpcap0.8-dev
For Docker Ubuntu containers:
apt update && apt install -yy libpcap0.8-dev

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Installation Methods

Download pre-compiled binaries from GitHub Releases - fastest and easiest method.
1

Download the binary

Visit the releases page and download the appropriate binary for your platform:
Linux
# Download latest release (example)
wget https://github.com/GhostTroops/scan4all/releases/download/v2.8.9/scan4all_linux_amd64

# Make it executable
chmod +x scan4all_linux_amd64

# Move to system path (optional)
sudo mv scan4all_linux_amd64 /usr/local/bin/scan4all
macOS
# Download latest release for macOS
curl -L -o scan4all https://github.com/GhostTroops/scan4all/releases/download/v2.8.9/scan4all_darwin_amd64

# Make executable
chmod +x scan4all

# Move to path
sudo mv scan4all /usr/local/bin/
2

Verify installation

scan4all -version
You should see the version information printed.

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Method 2: Using Go Install

Install directly using Go (requires Go 1.21.4+): 
go install github.com/GhostTroops/[email protected]
The binary will be installed to your $GOPATH/bin directory. Ensure this is in your PATH: 
export PATH=$PATH:$(go env GOPATH)/bin
Verify the installation: 
scan4all -h

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Method 3: Build from Source

For the latest features or custom modifications:
1

Install dependencies

Install Go and build tools:
Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install -y golang git build-essential libpcap-dev
CentOS/RHEL
sudo yum install -y golang git gcc libpcap-devel
macOS
brew install go git libpcap
2

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/GhostTroops/scan4all.git
cd scan4all
3

Build the binary

go build -o scan4all
For optimized production builds:
CGO_ENABLED=1 go build -ldflags="-s -w" -trimpath -o scan4all
4

Install system-wide (optional)

sudo mv scan4all /usr/local/bin/

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Verifying Installation

Run a quick test to ensure everything is working: 
scan4all -host 127.0.0.1 -p 80 -v
This scans your localhost on port 80 with verbose output.

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Troubleshooting

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libpcap Version Conflicts

If you see an error like: 
libpcap.so.0.8: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory
Check installed versions: 
ls -la /lib64/libpcap*
# or on some systems
ls -la /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpcap*
Create a symbolic link to the installed version: 
# If you have libpcap.so.1.9.1 but need 0.8
sudo ln -s /lib64/libpcap.so.1.9.1 /lib64/libpcap.so.0.8

# On Ubuntu/Debian
sudo ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpcap.so.1.10.1 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libpcap.so.0.8

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Too Many Open Files (Linux)

For large-scale scans, you may need to increase the file descriptor limit: 
# Check current limit
ulimit -n

# Check current open files
awk '{print $1}' /proc/sys/fs/file-nr

# Temporarily increase limit for current session
ulimit -n 819200
Permanent fix: Edit /etc/security/limits.conf: 
* soft nofile 819200
* hard nofile 819200
Log out and back in for changes to take effect.

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Permission Issues

Some scan types (like SYN scans) require elevated privileges: 
# Option 1: Run as root
sudo scan4all -host 192.168.1.1

# Option 2: Set capabilities (Linux only)
sudo setcap cap_net_raw,cap_net_admin,cap_net_bind_service+eip $(which scan4all)
Setting capabilities allows scan4all to perform privileged operations without sudo, but use this carefully on shared systems.

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Optional Components

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Nmap Integration

scan4all can optionally use nmap for enhanced port scanning: 
sudo apt install -y nmap
Enable nmap scanning: 
export PPSSWWDD=yourRootPassword
priorityNmap=true ./scan4all -host 192.168.1.1
The PPSSWWDD environment variable stores your root password for automated nmap execution. Only use this in secure environments.

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Elasticsearch Integration

For centralized result storage and analysis: 
# Create directories for Elasticsearch
mkdir -p logs data

# Run Elasticsearch in Docker
docker run --restart=always --ulimit nofile=65536:65536 \
  -p 9200:9200 -p 9300:9300 -d --name es \
  -v $PWD/logs:/usr/share/elasticsearch/logs \
  -v $PWD/config/elasticsearch.yml:/usr/share/elasticsearch/config/elasticsearch.yml \
  -v $PWD/config/jvm.options:/usr/share/elasticsearch/config/jvm.options \
  -v $PWD/data:/usr/share/elasticsearch/data \
  hktalent/elasticsearch:7.16.2

# Initialize indices
./config/initEs.sh
Configure scan4all to use Elasticsearch by editing config/config.json.

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Log4j-scan Integration

For enhanced Log4j vulnerability scanning: 
mkdir -p ~/MyWork/
cd ~/MyWork/
git clone https://github.com/hktalent/log4j-scan
scan4all will automatically detect and use log4j-scan if available.

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Docker Installation

Run scan4all in a Docker container:
Dockerfile
FROM ubuntu:22.04

RUN apt update && apt install -y \
    libpcap0.8-dev \
    wget \
    ca-certificates

# Download scan4all
RUN wget https://github.com/GhostTroops/scan4all/releases/download/v2.8.9/scan4all_linux_amd64 \
    -O /usr/local/bin/scan4all && \
    chmod +x /usr/local/bin/scan4all

ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/local/bin/scan4all"]
Build and run: 
docker build -t scan4all .
docker run --rm scan4all -host scanme.nmap.org -v

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Platform-Specific Notes

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Linux

  • CentOS 7+: May need to install glibc-devel.x86_64 for compatibility
  • Alpine Linux: Use apk add libpcap-dev and compile from source with musl support
  • SELinux: May need to adjust policies for raw socket access

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macOS

  • M1/M2 Chips: Use the ARM64 binary or build from source
  • Gatekeeper: You may need to allow the binary in System Preferences > Security & Privacy
  • Network Extensions: May prompt for network monitoring permissions

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Windows

  • Antivirus: Security software may flag scan4all as potentially unwanted. Add an exclusion if needed
  • Windows Defender: May need to allow through firewall
  • Administrator Mode: Always run Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator

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Updating scan4all

To update to the latest version: 
# Using go install
go install github.com/GhostTroops/scan4all@latest

# Or use built-in update command
scan4all -update

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Uninstallation

To remove scan4all: 
# If installed via go install
rm $(which scan4all)

# If installed to /usr/local/bin
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/scan4all

# Remove configuration and cache (optional)
rm -rf ~/.config/scan4all

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Next Steps

Quick Start

Run your first scan in minutes

Configuration

Learn about configuration options

Advanced Usage

Explore advanced scanning techniques

Get Help

Join the community discussions

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Getting Help

If you encounter issues:
  1. Check the GitHub Issues
  2. Visit Discussions for Q&A
  3. Review the troubleshooting guide
For bug reports, include:
  • Operating system and version
  • scan4all version (scan4all -version)
  • libpcap version (ldconfig -p | grep libpcap)
  • Complete error messages
  • Steps to reproduce

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