Penetration Testing Scanning Methods

Scanning Methods Used in Penetration Testing

Question

Which of the following are the scanning methods used in penetration testing? Each correct answer represents a complete solution.

Choose all that apply.

Answers

Explanations

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A. B. C. D.

responding hosts on the network and their corresponding IP addresses.

Answer: C is incorrect.

This option comes under vulnerability scanning.

The vulnerability, port, and network scanning tools are used in penetration testing.

Vulnerability scanning is a process in which a Penetration Tester uses various tools to assess computers, computer systems, networks or applications for weaknesses.

There are a number of types of vulnerability scanners available today, distinguished from one another by a focus on particular targets.

While functionality varies between different types of vulnerability scanners, they share a common, core purpose of enumerating the vulnerabilities present in one or more targets.

Vulnerability scanners are a core technology component of Vulnerability management.

Port scanning is the first basic step to get the details of open ports on the target system.

Port scanning is used to find a hackable server with a hole or vulnerability.

A port is a medium of communication between two computers.

Every service on a host is identified by a unique 16-bit number called a port.

A port scanner is a piece of software designed to search a network host for open ports.

This is often used by administrators to check the security of their networks and by hackers to identify running services on a host with the view to compromising it.

Port scanning is used to find the open ports, so that it is possible to search exploits related to that service and application.

Network scanning is a penetration testing activity in which a penetration tester or an attacker identifies active hosts on a network, either to attack them or to perform security assessment.

A penetration tester uses various tools to identify all the live or.

Penetration testing is a type of security testing that involves simulating an attack on a system or application to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. Scanning methods are used in penetration testing to discover potential vulnerabilities in the target system. There are different types of scanning methods used in penetration testing, including vulnerability scanning, port scanning, service scanning, and network scanning. Let's discuss each of them in detail.

A. Vulnerability Scanning: Vulnerability scanning involves scanning a system or application to identify known vulnerabilities or weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. Vulnerability scanners use a database of known vulnerabilities to identify potential security weaknesses. The scanner typically scans the target system or application for known vulnerabilities in the operating system, web application, or any other installed software.

B. Port Scanning: Port scanning is a technique used to identify open ports on a target system. A port is a communication endpoint on a computer network. Port scanning is performed to identify open ports that could be used by attackers to gain access to the target system. Port scanning tools typically scan a range of TCP or UDP ports to identify which ports are open and what services are running on them.

C. Service Scanning: Service scanning is a technique used to identify the services running on a target system. Service scanning tools are used to determine the type of services running on the target system, the software versions of those services, and any known vulnerabilities associated with those services. The information gathered from service scanning is used to identify potential attack vectors.

D. Network Scanning: Network scanning is a technique used to identify hosts and devices on a network. Network scanners typically scan an IP range to identify live hosts on a network. Once live hosts have been identified, the scanner can perform further scans to identify open ports, running services, and potential vulnerabilities on those hosts.

In conclusion, vulnerability scanning, port scanning, service scanning, and network scanning are all scanning methods used in penetration testing. Each of these techniques is used to identify potential vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and attack vectors that could be exploited by attackers. By performing these scans, organizations can identify potential security weaknesses and take steps to mitigate them before they can be exploited by attackers.