Sherlock Forensics Port Scanner review
A focused, auditable scanner for TCP reconnaissance, inventory, and compliance work.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Sherlock Forensics Port Scanner is a free desktop application for TCP port scanning and service detection on Windows and Linux. It is aimed at penetration-test reconnaissance, compliance audits, network inventory, and system-administration troubleshooting. The scanner works against individual hosts or CIDR ranges, checks ports from 1 through 65535, identifies open ports, and captures service banners with software and version information. It does not require WinPcap, Npcap, or elevated privileges.
The Free plan costs 0 USD and includes TCP connect scanning, service banner grabbing, custom port ranges, CIDR range support, and CSV export. Port lists can be tailored for focused checks, while CIDR support allows subnet-oriented scanning. Exported CSV data includes timestamps, hosts, ports, protocols, states, and service data, giving the results a structured format for inventory and audit workflows. The product stays focused on desktop network scanning rather than offering a wider deployment model.
Its strongest differentiator is the verification around exported and downloaded content. Each CSV can have an Ed25519-signed sidecar for output verification, and downloads support SHA-256 integrity verification. That combination suits teams that need scan artifacts with an auditable handling path. The trade-off is a narrow feature and platform scope: Windows and Linux are supported, operating-system detection is not included, and the published export format is CSV. Choose it when free TCP scanning, service identification, CIDR coverage, and verifiable records are the priority; choose a broader tool when you need additional scan types, OS detection, or wider platform coverage.
Sherlock Forensics Port Scanner pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Scans TCP ports 1-65535 without elevated privileges
- Identifies services and versions through banner grabbing
- Exports signed, timestamped CSV results for verification
- Where it doesn't
- Supports Windows and Linux, with no other platforms listed
- Detects services but does not provide operating-system detection
- Focused on TCP scanning and CSV export rather than broader scan types
Sherlock Forensics Port Scanner fact sheet, pricing and score →
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