In Nmap, what is the purpose of the -T flag?

• A. To enable OS detection
• B. To specify the timing template for the scan, affecting speed and stealth
• C. To set the port range
• D. To increase verbosity

Answer: (B)

The important idea here is how you control scan speed and detectability. The timing flag in Nmap selects a predefined timing template that tunes how aggressively the scan runs. This template sets a collection of timing parameters—like probe delays, how many probes are sent in parallel, and how long to wait for responses or retries. By choosing a template, you directly influence how fast the scan progresses and how likely it is to be noticed or trigger protections. Paranoid or polite templates run slower and are gentler on the network, while aggressive or insane templates push for speed but increase the chance of detection and errors. The flag’s purpose, then, is to specify that timing template to balance speed and stealth during the scan.