Port scanning tools and Southcode Desk: answers
Port scanning basics
What are port scanning tools?
Port scanning tools are programs that send connection attempts to the numbered ports of a device and report which ones answer. They exist to inventory services on devices you own. Southcode Desk is not one. It does not replace a scanner: it runs the one you choose through Shell, and Cron can repeat a saved prompt on a schedule.
How does port scanning work?
A scanner sends one connection attempt to each port you list, from 0 to 65535, and notes how the device replies. An answer means open, a refusal means closed, and silence usually means filtered. An answer on port 443 usually means a web service, but the port alone does not prove it. Start with one device.
Does netstat scan my network?
No. netstat lists the connections and listening ports of the PC it runs on, and with -ano it adds the process ID of each one. It does not probe other devices or a subnet. tasklist then shows which program owns a process ID, but only on that PC. For other devices you need a scanner.
Why not just use a port scanner online?
A scanner on a website sees your network only from outside, so it reports what your router exposes, not what listens inside. Southcode Desk works from your own PC and runs the scanner you choose against your inside addresses. Own addresses only.
Using Southcode Desk
Is southcodeush.com the official Southcode Desk website?
Yes. This is the official Southcode Desk website, and the download here is the original build, so you can compare its SHA-256 checksum with the published manifest. For support, use the Send feedback button inside the app.
Are the results always right?
No. A scanner can mislabel a port when a firewall drops its attempts or a device is busy, and a model can misread output. Treat every summary as a draft: read the raw scan, check the diff before you accept it, and rescan after each change. Responsibility stays with you.
Can Southcode Desk block scans that other hosts aim at my server?
No. Southcode Desk does not detect or block unknown port scanning against your server. It only runs the commands you give it, such as your own scanner on addresses you own. Closing or restricting services you do not need, and checking your own devices again afterwards, reduces what listens on them; it does not show what an outsider can reach.
Which networks may I scan with it?
The only networks you may scan are your own, or ones you hold written permission to test, naming who, which addresses and which dates. Port scanning devices on a network you do not own or may not test can be unlawful and can disrupt those devices. A cafe, hotel, school or office network is off limits without authorisation. Get permission in writing.
Models, privacy and download
Do my scan results leave my PC?
The model you pick decides. With a model running locally on your PC nothing leaves the machine, while with a cloud provider the prompts, including scan output, go to that endpoint. Chats, working folders and API keys stay on the PC, and secrets in tool output are redacted before they reach the model.
Why does Windows warn about the installer?
The installer is not code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may warn you. Compare its SHA-256 checksum with the published manifest first, and only after the checksum matches choose More info and then Run anyway. Mismatch means stop.
Do I need an account?
No. You install the Windows app, connect a model and start working, and no sign-up is required at any point along the way. A cloud AI provider you connect may charge separately, while the built-in model and a model running locally on your PC need no provider.
