Overview of Vulnerability Scanner

SUMMARY

A vulnerability scanner is software application that assesses security vulnerabilities in networks or host systems and produces a set of scan results. However, because both administrators and attackers can use the same tool for fixing or exploiting a system, administrators need to conduct a scan and fix problems before an attacker can do the same scan and exploit any vulnerabilities found. This article provides a general overview of vulnerability scanners.

WHAT IS A VULNERABILITY SCANNER ?

A vulnerability scanner can assess a variety of vulnerabilities across information systems (including computers, network systems, operating systems, and software applications) that may have originated from a vendor, system administration activities, or general day-to-day user activities:
1. Vendor-originated: this includes software bugs, missing operating system patches, vulnerable services, insecure default configurations, and web application vulnerabilities.

2. System administration-originated: this includes incorrect or unauthorised system configuration changes, lack of password protection policies, and so on.

3. User-originated: this includes sharing directories to unauthorised parties, failure to run virus scanning software, and malicious activities, such as…