Can you combine -sS and -sU in a single Nmap command, and why would you do so?

• A. No, you cannot mix TCP SYN and UDP scans in one command.
• B. Yes, you can specify both but it will slow down the scan.
• C. Yes, you can specify both and it will default to UDP only.
• D. Yes, you can specify both; it performs both TCP SYN and UDP scans to broaden coverage.

Answer: (D)

You can run a TCP SYN scan and a UDP scan in the same Nmap command to gather information about both protocol spaces in one pass. The TCP SYN scan (-sS) probes ports by sending a SYN and notes the responses to infer open, closed, or filtered state, while the UDP scan (-sU) sends UDP packets to ports and infers status from ICMP or lack of response. Many services run on UDP, and some hosts only have UDP ports open, so combining both scans gives a broader view of what’s available on the target. Although UDP scanning is slower and often noisy, running both types together lets you discover a more complete set of services without running separate scans. Therefore, specifying both options enables the scan to cover both TCP and UDP ports, broadening coverage. (Note: both scans typically require appropriate privileges and can take longer due to the nature of UDP.)