What Masscan flag is used to set the number of seconds before exiting the scan?

In Masscan, the flag used to set the number of seconds before exiting the scan is --max-retries.

However, the flag you are looking for specifically for setting a timeout period is --timeout. This flag allows you to specify the maximum time in seconds for the scan to continue before it exits. You can use it like this:

masscan <target> --timeout <number_of_seconds>

By utilizing the --timeout flag, you ensure that if the scan does not complete within the specified number of seconds, it will automatically terminate, which can be useful for managing long-running scans. Make sure to adjust the timeout according to the size of the network and the number of ports you are scanning to ensure that you gather as much pertinent information as possible within the given timeframe. This feature is particularly important for avoiding resource overuse and ensuring your scanning activities do not infringe on network policies.