Which best describes active scanning?

Which best describes active scanning?

• A. It passively monitors network traffic to detect anomalies.
• B. It uses malware to breach hosts without permission.
• C. A scanner transmits to a network node to determine exposed ports and can also identify vulnerabilities.
• D. It is used to defend by blocking ports.

Answer: (C)

Active scanning involves actively sending probes to hosts on a network to discover what services are reachable, which ports are open, and what vulnerabilities might exist based on the responses. This interactive probing lets you map the attack surface by identifying exposed entries and fingerprinting services and versions, which can then be analyzed for known weaknesses. That description matches the idea of a scanner transmitting to a network node to determine exposed ports and identify vulnerabilities. It’s the opposite of passive scanning, which just watches traffic without sending probes, and it’s not about using malware to break in or about defensive actions like blocking ports.

Active scanning involves actively sending probes to hosts on a network to discover what services are reachable, which ports are open, and what vulnerabilities might exist based on the responses. This interactive probing lets you map the attack surface by identifying exposed entries and fingerprinting services and versions, which can then be analyzed for known weaknesses.

That description matches the idea of a scanner transmitting to a network node to determine exposed ports and identify vulnerabilities. It’s the opposite of passive scanning, which just watches traffic without sending probes, and it’s not about using malware to break in or about defensive actions like blocking ports.