What is the purpose of the Nmap -sP command?

The Nmap -sP command, also known as the "ping scan," is specifically designed to identify live hosts on a network. This command works by sending ICMP echo requests (ping) to the specified range of IP addresses. If a host responds, it is considered "live." This is crucial for network administrators and penetration testers alike, as it allows them to quickly discover which devices are operational on the network before deciding on additional probing or scanning activities.

The other options reference functionalities that either go beyond the scope of the -sP command or pertain to other types of scans. For instance, a full port scan would involve checking all ports on a host to see which ones are open, while gathering service version information dives deeper into what services are running on those open ports. Similarly, checking for open ports on a specific IP is also a separate function that requires a different flag, such as -p, to specify the ports of interest. Thus, identifying live hosts remains the primary purpose of the Nmap -sP command.