Originally posted here by yanksfan
I'm just wondering wether port scans are legal or not. I heard a little of both views -- some say that it just like driving by a house to see if any windows are open -- others see it as a hacking threat.
Actually, I view portscans on my network like someone walking by my front door and turning the doorknob to see if it's open or not. While that may not be illegal, it's definitely suspicious and would likely raise all kinds of red flags for someone watching you. Why would you try my doorknob if you weren't thinking of going in?