XMap: Fast Internet-wide IPv4 and IPv6 Network Scanner
Xiang Li, Zixuan Xie, Lu Sun, Yuqi Qiu, Zuyao Xu, Zheli Liu
TL;DR
XMap introduces a fast, open-source IPv4/IPv6 network scanner with an asynchronous, decoupled probing architecture and modular design that enables randomized, full-space address exploration across both protocols. By implementing novel address randomization via permutation-based generation and supporting diverse protocol scans (including DNS with spoofing), XMap achieves near-real-time Internet-wide measurements while minimizing impact on targets. The work documents substantial academic recognition, industrial adoption, and governmental use, highlighting XMap's role in advancing IPv6 measurement, vulnerability assessment, and RFC-related developments. Overall, XMap provides a foundational tool for scalable Internet-wide research and practical network security assessments with ongoing development and community engagement.
Abstract
XMap is an open-source network scanner designed for performing fast Internet-wide IPv4 and IPv6 network research scanning. XMap was initially developed as the research artifact of a paper published at 2021 IEEE/IFIP International Conference on Dependable Systems and Networks (DSN '21) and then made available on GitHub. XMap is the first tool to support fast Internet-wide IPv6 network scanning in 2020. During the last five years, XMap has made substantial impact in academia, industry, and government. It has been referenced in 52 research papers (15 published at top-tier security venues and 11 in leading networking societies), received over 450 GitHub stars, featured in multiple news outlets, and deployed or recommended by international companies up to date. Additionally, XMap has contributed to the implementation of RFC documents and the discovery of various vulnerabilities. This paper provides fundamental details about XMap, its architecture, and its impact.