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Unicornscan
What it is
Unicornscan is a free network reconnaissance tool that sends stateless probes and records the responses. Its documented scan modes include TCP SYN scans, UDP probes with protocol-specific payloads, local-network ARP discovery, and stateless TCP traceroute. The Alicorn web interface helps review scan history, host and port statistics, OS fingerprints, and network topology. Scan results can be exported to PostgreSQL through the pgsqldb module; Alicorn uses PostgreSQL for storage and starts a PostgREST API with its web server. Optional DB-IP Lite databases add country, city, and ASN lookups to scan output and the interface. Packages are listed for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, RHEL-compatible distributions, and macOS through Homebrew or DMG. Linux capabilities are set automatically so scans can run without root privileges. The web interface requires Docker and PostgreSQL. Compound modes that begin with ARP are limited to targets on the local broadcast domain because ARP requests cannot cross routers.
For and against
For
- Free software with downloadable packages and source
- Supports TCP SYN scans and UDP probes
- Alicorn shows scan history and network topology
- Linux capabilities are set automatically for non-root scans
Against
- Alicorn requires Docker and PostgreSQL
- ARP-based compound modes are limited to the local broadcast domain
The verdict
Unicornscan combines several documented reconnaissance modes with optional web-based result analysis. Consider the Docker and PostgreSQL requirements if you plan to use Alicorn.
Who it suits
Unicornscan suits users who need network reconnaissance through a command-line tool, with Alicorn available for web-based review of results. Its documented packages cover several Linux distributions and macOS.
Plans and prices
Unicornscan
GPL software · downloadable packages and source
Read 2 Oct 2026 · github.com
On the record
- API
- The Alicorn startup process launches a PostgREST API alongside the web server.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
- Creator
- The project README says Unicornscan was created by Jack C. Louis.github.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Database integration
- The pgsqldb module can export scan results to PostgreSQL, which Alicorn uses for data storage.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
- Discovery and tracing
- Documented scan modes include local-network ARP discovery and stateless TCP traceroute.github.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- GeoIP
- Optional free DB-IP Lite databases enable country, city, and ASN lookups in scan output and the web interface.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
- Network scope limit
- Compound modes beginning with ARP require targets on the local broadcast domain because ARP requests cannot cross routers.github.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Permissions
- The package guide says Linux capabilities are set automatically so scans can run without root privileges.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Unicornscan is an asynchronous stateless network stimulus delivery and response recording tool for scalable, high-speed network reconnaissance.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
- Requirements
- The Alicorn web interface requires Docker and PostgreSQL for data storage.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
- Support
- The install guide points users to the project website and GitHub Issues for support and bug reports.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
- Supported systems
- Prebuilt packages are listed for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, RHEL-compatible distributions, and macOS via Homebrew or DMG.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
- TCP and UDP scanning
- The getting-started guide documents TCP SYN scans and UDP probes with protocol-specific payloads.github.com · read 2 Oct 2026
- Web interface
- Alicorn is a web interface for viewing and analyzing scan results, including scan history, host and port statistics, OS fingerprinting, and network topology visualization.unicornscan.org · read 2 Oct 2026
