Vulnerability scanners enhance the efficiency of identifying
weaknesses with a network systems and applications.
They streamline the assessment process which saves both
time and resources compared to a manual assessment.
Within the vulnerably scanning nature. We see different aspects of the software
where it's really kind of scanning,
not just the web application or the web interface as much as
it is scanning the assets involved in the network as a whole.
This could be anything from firewalls to servers to switches.
The variety of network hardware that is capable of scanning is
very robust depending on not just the tool you're utilizing,
but the software it's interacting with.
This helps to facilitate complex compliance and regulatory standards.
And it also helps to integrate with other seamless
tools where it provides an overall security posture and workflow
allowing us to really kind of get to the bottom of where our network lies and
the vulnerability or weaknesses and even flaws that
are associated with our network as a whole.
The first such tool we can use is called Nessus.
Now, Nessus is a paid version of a vulnerable vulnerability scanner
developed by tenable and is designed to identify security
vulnerabilities misconfigurations and compliance issues within our networks.
This tool can scan different workstations, firewalls,
different devices and it is a credible vast data
that uses both unauthenticated and authenticated scanning options.
It allows for a deeper analysis with administrative and dread shows both local
agents and endpoints and it provides a
detailed report to identify those vulnerabilities.
It uses a priority list to based on severity of the weaknesses
it finds and it also provides a prioritization to remediation efforts.
It also supports integration with other security tools and platforms like your
so or even your siem and enhances our overall security posture.
Now, the great thing about N is is that it is a very easy to use tool,
you plug in some IP addresses or a range of IP addresses,
it goes to town and you identify exactly you
want to configure the tool and it just works.
It's incredibly easy to use,
incredibly efficient and incredibly user friendly when it comes down to it.
And also with that vast database is
able to identify and pinpoint specific vulnerabilities
that are kept up to date by developers on a day to day basis.
The other tool is open
boss. Now open
vs is the open vulnerability assessment system which is
an open source vulnerability tool or scanning device that detects
vulnerabilities within systems and networks as a whole is to
identify or used to identify weaknesses such as misconfigurations,
outdated software vulnerabilities,
all of which can be used by Attackers to attack the
system where the network as a whole while it's not a paid
version,
which means that it doesn't have the constant ongoing support that something like
NSIS does,
it still provides a great database of
different vulnerabilities or flaws within the system
and is kept fairly well up to date as open source developers continue
to add to the database and search for specific vulnerabilities associated with it.
However, because it's free, it's not as easy to use as something like
NSIS.
And we'll see that when we go through the tool step by step.