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CompTIA Security+ 4.3 CompTIA Security+ 4.4 CompTIA CySA+ 2.1 NIST 800-53 RA-5
TechKnowSurge Catalog Interactives Passive, Credentialed or Agent?
InteractiveSecurityFree

Passive, Credentialed or Agent?

Listening to traffic, probing as a stranger, logging in, or asking software on the host: how does this scan learn what it knows?

⚑ Complete this interactive to capture a CTF flag worth 5 points.

About this interactive

The Scanner Settings lesson describes four ways a scanner can learn about a host. Passive: the scanner sends nothing. It listens to traffic, for example a copy of a switch's traffic, and works out which hosts are live and which services they use. It finds less, but it stays hidden and adds no load. Active, no credentials: the scanner pings, port-scans and tests services from the outside, without logging in. The result is the attack surface an untrusted outsider sees. Active, with credentials: the scanner is given an account and logs in, to the host or to an application, possibly at more than one level such as user and admin. It can then see installed software, patches and settings from inside. Agent on the host: software installed on the machine scans it locally and reports back to the scanner. The lesson points out that a scanner logging in is still agentless; an agent is something installed on the host. A quick test for each card: does the scanner only listen, probe with no account, log in, or rely on software that lives on the host?

What you'll learn

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+
4.3 Explain various activities associated with vulnerability management.
4.4 Explain security alerting and monitoring concepts and tools.
CompTIA CySA+
2.1 Given a scenario, implement vulnerability scanning methods and concepts.
NIST 800-53
RA-5 Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning

Key terms

Credentialed Scanning
A vulnerability scanning method that uses valid login credentials to authenticate to target systems, enabling deeper inspection of configurations, installed software, and internal vulnerabilities.
Agent-Based Scanning
A vulnerability scanning approach that uses software agents installed directly on target systems to perform local assessments and report findings back to a central scanner.
Agentless Scanning
A vulnerability scanning approach that assesses target systems remotely without requiring dedicated software installed on the scanned device.
Active Scanning
The use of automated tools to probe a network or system in real time to discover assets, open ports, and known vulnerabilities.
Port Scanning
A technique used to discover open ports and services available on a networked device.
Attack Surface
The total set of points in a system where an unauthorized user can attempt to enter or extract data.

Topics

Vulnerability Management Vulnerability Scanning Interactive Categorize

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