MacOS 10.14.6 and Zenmap 7.8 - Zenmap will not open unless run via CLI

[robertstrom]

I have two Mac's that I have installed the binary download of Nmap on (nmap-7.80.dmg) and both are behaving the same way. If I press Command + Space keys and type Zenmap and try to launch I get prompted to enter credentials and then Zenmap blips away / does not run. If I tail the system.log file I get these errors

Aug 16 16:40:08 Mac-Pro Zenmap[6574]: Failed to execute applescript with admin privileges, trying without.
Aug 16 16:40:08 Mac-Pro Zenmap[6574]: Failed to execute applescript at all.

yet I can open a terminal session and run the following command

sudo /Applications/Zenmap.app/Contents/MacOS/zenmap.bin &

and then enter my credentials and Zenmap will launch.

Is there something that I can do on my end or is this a bug that needs to be fixed (looks like the later to me).

Both Mac's are running 10.14.6 and Zenmap / Nmap 7.8.

I have not had this issue before on either of these machines.

Thanks,

Robert

[BLLuten]

Zenmap 7.8 isn't launching for me either, on macOS 10.14.6. Launching via the terminal (as described above) works for me, if I install via the package within the DMG; it did not work if I installed via "brew cask install zenmap" (formulae).

ZenMap does launch via the Finder if I create a new admin user, and launch it from within that user profile. It also launches from within a Guest User (standard user) session, after I provide the user name and password of my normal (admin) account.

So, does this imply that there is something within my normal account profile that is preventing Zenmap from launching via the Finder?

Removing Zenmap 7.8 and reinstalling Nmap 7.7 from DMG, allows Zenmap 7.7 to work normally, again.

Zenmap 7.7 appears to work with Nmap 7.8.

[le-jawa]

I'm running into the same problem. I looked in /var/log/system.log and found the following:

Oct 23 14:00:09 hostname Zenmap[1971]: /Applications/Zenmap.app/Contents/MacOS/zenmap.bin
Oct 23 14:00:17 hostname Zenmap[1971]: Failed to execute applescript with admin privileges, trying without.
Oct 23 14:00:17 hostname Zenmap[1971]: Failed to execute applescript at all.

[ejoso]

Issue remains. Can open from CLI, but not from Finder.

[TheMaskedMan101100]

The only way I have found to open Zenmap is to open terminal and type open -a Zenmap type in your password and it should open!

[BLLuten]

@TheMaskedMan101100 Have you tried zenmap (and nmap) 7.91?

[TheMaskedMan101100]

@BLLuten I'm not sure what version I have but i think I just have the newest version I'm assuming. Are you asking if the command works for opening that specific version of zenmap? If so, I am not sure, so I would just try it out.

[BLLuten]

@TheMaskedMan101100 This thread was started for version 7.8, which I had problems with, but I no longer have the problems described. I'm currently using nmap/zenmap version 7.91.

[rschuetzler]

If I start Zenmap from the terminal with the command above, it works. If I start it from Finder, I'm asked for an admin password, and then I cannot enter anything into the GUI.

[BLLuten]

Zenmap 7.91 on macOS 10.14.6 still appears to work for me as expected, launching via the Finder from the /Applications folder, or launching via a Spotlight Search. I believe I have seen Zenmap not work on the first attempt, after entering an admin password, but it would work if I tried launching it again. It looks like I installed Zenmap via brew, which I must have switched to after dealing with these problems.

[uwealtmann]

Still not working; MacOS 10.15,7 and nmap-7.92.dmg

[vust1001]

Anyone figure out why it isn't launching via Finder/Applications menu?

[fishooo0815]

The Issue is Still there.

Nmap Asks for Admin Password on Start. Then it closes. directly.

[mentornuh]

This is what I get from trying to open the zenmap to run command

[rschuetzler]

@mentornuh #1696 (comment)

[zzeekkii]

If I start Zenmap from the terminal with the command above, it works. If I start it from Finder, I'm asked for an admin password, and then I cannot enter anything into the GUI.

for me too
i hope you can help me if u find the way to open zen map from finder

[caesium55ds]

I found this thread while searching for the same problem. I updated to Zenmap version 7.95, and the problem is happening as described above. I can open from a CLI when I type "open -a zenmap," but other than that, Zenmap will not start using the Zenmap icon in Applications. I downgraded to Zenmap version 7.92, and...voilà!!! It is working again.

After posting the above, I upgraded back to 7.95. I figured I'd be good to go if I could open the application, even from the command line. However, I tried to kick off a quick scan, and Zenmap hung without producing results. The only item on the "Nmap Output" tab was the first line, "Starting Nmap 7.9.5....." but nothing more. I downgraded again to 7.92 and again, voilà!!! It is working again.

So, the latest version breaks the icon AND the scan function (at least for the quick scan).

[informatik01]

@caesium55ds
Just encountered this issue on my Mac after upgrading to the latest version 7.95. I had the previous version - 7.94 installed before that and I could open it just by clicking. And the were no issues with scanning too.

Now, with the latest version 7.95 - I too can open it only from the command line.

I mean maybe the previous 7.94 will also work for you, cause version 7.92 seems to be quite a bit older.

---

It's really sad that almost 5 years later this issue is still present for the macOS version of Zenmap 😏.

[dazzur]

I can confirm too that Zenmap / version 7.95 is not loading properly on Sonoma 14.5 when invoking the icon/app via the Applications folder. It only works when invoked from the command line. Also, the dialog box does not properly redraw itself when moving the window. If you open the app (via the CLI), provide admin credentials, then move the window when it opens, the dialog canvas loses all of the controls except for the 'Target' control. Start typing the IP address and the 'Profile' control appears. Select the scan profile type and the 'Scan' button appears. Press that and the remainder of the controls appear.

[Tauriccc]

Hi guys, I had this issue and solved it by making an applescript with "open -a zenmap" just make sure the terminal scope matches the script scope otherwise the same thing will happen

[sukanth]

open -a zenmap

Thanks this worked for me

[Gtstride]

The only way I have found to open Zenmap is to open terminal and type open -a Zenmap type in your password and it should open!

Thanks buddy, worked seemlessly

[yllekz]

The workaround works, but the core problem should be fixed.

[Puccet]

Same issue with MacOS 14.6.1 (23G93) and Zenamp 7.95

[sramekmichal]

Absolutely the same issue as above (MacOS 14.6.1 - 23G93 and Zenmap 7.95).

[hfjensen]

Same issue MacOS 15.0.1 and Zenmap 7.95

[noahbds]

Same Issue macos 15.1.1 and Zenmap 7.95

[dmiller-nmap]

Possibly addressed in 9c1dc6e. Need to diagnose to see if this was the same problem.

[dmiller-nmap]

Confirmed with testing here: Removing the last 9 lines of zenmapCore.Paths.__init__() in Paths.py resolves the problem, so 9c1dc6e fixes this issue. The fix will be in the next release of Nmap.

[ChandlerHooley]

@dmiller-nmap just giving a secondary confirmation here as I don't see one. I tried it this afternoon and commented out lines 119-127 in Paths.py and it resolved the issue for me as well. Thanks!!!

[dmiller-nmap]

Fixed in Zenmap 7.96