Vulnerability Scanning

Overview

Vulnerability scanning is a critical phase in the penetration testing process, where the primary goal is to identify potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the target system or application. The purpose of this phase is to determine the attack surface and assess the severity of the identified vulnerabilities to determine the best approach for exploitation. In this article, we will discuss vulnerability scanning and its importance in the penetration testing process, as well as the most commonly used tools.

What is Vulnerability Scanning and Why it been used

Vulnerability scanning is the process of identifying potential weaknesses and vulnerabilities in the target system or application. This phase involves using automated tools to scan the target system or application for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.

The primary goal of vulnerability scanning is to identify potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to the target system or application. By identifying and addressing these vulnerabilities, organizations can reduce the risk of a successful attack and improve their overall security posture.

Most Commonly Used Tools

There are several tools that can be used for vulnerability scanning, including:

• Nessus: Nessus is a popular vulnerability scanner that can be used to scan for known vulnerabilities in the target system or application. Nessus can be used for both network and web application scanning and includes a comprehensive database of known vulnerabilities.

• Metasploit: Metasploit is a penetration testing framework that includes a vulnerability scanner. The Metasploit vulnerability scanner can be used to scan for known vulnerabilities in the target system or application and includes a comprehensive database of known vulnerabilities.

• Nmap: Nmap is a network exploration and security auditing tool that can be used for vulnerability scanning. Nmap can be used to scan for open ports and services on the target system or application, which can be used to identify potential vulnerabilities.

Using Vulnerability Scanning in next phase (Exploitation Phase)

The information gathered during the vulnerability scanning phase can be used in the next phase of the penetration testing process, which is exploitation. The vulnerabilities identified during the vulnerability scanning phase can be used to develop and execute an attack plan.

For example, if a vulnerability is identified in a web application, an attacker could use this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to the target system or application. The attacker could exploit the vulnerability by using a tool like Metasploit to develop and execute an attack plan.