A security analyst is attempting to identify vulnerabilities in a customer's web application without impacting the system or its data.
Which of the following BEST describes the vulnerability scanning concept performed?
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A. B. C. D.B.
Passive scanning is a method of vulnerability detection that relies on information gleaned from network data that is captured from a target computer without direct interaction.
Packet sniffing applications can be used for passive scanning to reveal information such as operating system, known protocols running on non-standard ports and active network applications with known bugs.
Passive scanning may be conducted by a network administrator scanning for security vulnerabilities or by an intruder as a preliminary to an active attack.
For an intruder, passive scanning's main advantage is that it does not leave a trail that could alert users or administrators to their activities.
For an administrator, the main advantage is that it doesn't risk causing undesired behavior on the target computer, such as freezes.
Because of these advantages, passive scanning need not be limited to a narrow time frame to minimize risk or disruption, which means that it is likely to return more information.
Passive scanning does have limitations.
It is not as complete in detail as active vulnerability scanning and cannot detect any applications that are not currently sending out traffic; nor can it distinguish false information put out for obfuscation.
The BEST description for the vulnerability scanning concept performed in this scenario is a Passive scan.
A vulnerability scan is a process of identifying and assessing the vulnerabilities in a system or application that could be exploited by attackers. The objective of the vulnerability scan is to find the weaknesses and vulnerabilities without causing any disruption to the system or data.
The four options provided are different types of scans:
A. Aggressive scan: This type of scan is an intrusive and comprehensive scan that attempts to identify all possible vulnerabilities in a system or application. This scan could disrupt the system or its data, and it may trigger security alarms, making it an inappropriate option for this scenario.
B. Passive scan: This type of scan is non-intrusive and unobtrusive to the system or application. The passive scan observes network traffic and activities without actively sending any packets or initiating any connections, making it the best option for this scenario.
C. Non-credentialed scan: This type of scan is performed without authentication or privileged access to the system or application. It only identifies vulnerabilities that can be detected without any credentials or privileges. This scan is not suitable for detecting all vulnerabilities, but it is still useful in certain situations.
D. Compliance scan: This type of scan is performed to ensure that the system or application complies with specific security standards, regulations, or policies. It is not suitable for detecting all vulnerabilities in a system or application.
In conclusion, the security analyst should perform a Passive scan to identify vulnerabilities in the customer's web application without impacting the system or its data.