text: is it ok to pull rpcinfo without permission?   this seems like a legal question and with all due respect to the internet and "yahoo! answers" this is not the best place for legal advice.   if you scanned an entire network looking for all portmap information, most would block you an report abuse to your isp. what happens beyond there depends on the extent of the probing you did and any possible damage as a result.   your best bet is to speak to the server admin first.