What is Vulnerability Scanning in Cyber Security?
Definition:
- Vulnerability scanning is an automated process that identifies security weaknesses and misconfigurations in systems, networks, and applications.
Purpose:
- Its goal is to detect known vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.
Tools Used:
- Popular tools include Nessus, OpenVAS, Qualys, Nexpose, etc.
How It Works:
- The scanner compares the target system’s configurations and software versions against a database of known vulnerabilities (like CVE - Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures).
- Internal Scan – Performed within the organization's network.
- External Scan – Done from outside to simulate an external attack.
- Authenticated Scan – Uses valid credentials to access deeper system details.
- Unauthenticated Scan – Tests without login credentials, like a hacker would.
Benefits:
- Early detection of security flaws
- Helps in maintaining compliance (e.g., PCI-DSS, ISO 27001)
- Reduces risk of cyber-attacks
- Supports regular security assessments
Limitations:
- Cannot detect unknown (zero-day) vulnerabilities
- May generate false positives or miss complex logic flaws
- Does not exploit vulnerabilities (unlike penetration testing)
Best Practices:
- Scan regularly and after any system changes
- Combine with manual testing and penetration testing
- Keep the vulnerability database up to date
- Act quickly on scan results with patching and remediation
Output:
- The scan typically generates a report showing vulnerabilities ranked by severity (e.g., low, medium, high, critical).
Real-World Use Case:
- Companies use vulnerability scans to check their firewalls, servers, web apps, and employee endpoints for known flaws.