Did you ever think about using PHP as a tool for increasing network security? It's much easier to write socket code in PHP than in C, for example. This article by Maguma software developer Jim Barcelona shows how to create a simple yet effective port scanning application in PHP.

After reading Armel Fauveau's article on "Using sockets in PHP: Get articles from Usenet", I started playing with the idea of using PHP as a tool for network security. I specifically wanted to use PHP to check my machine for open ports.

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