What is security scanning?

Security scanning, or vulnerability scanning, can mean many different things, but it can be simply described as scanning the security of a website, web-based program, network, or file system for either vulnerabilities or unwanted file changes. 

The type of security scanning required for a particular system depends on what that system is used. The more complicated and intricate the system or network is, the more in-depth the security scan has to be. Security scanning can be done as a one-time check, but most companies who incorporate this into their security practices buy a service that continually scans their systems and networks.

One of the more popular open-source software platforms that run security scans is called Nmap. It has been around for a very long time and has the ability to find and exploit vulnerabilities in a network. There are also a number of online scans available; however, these come with varying degrees of effectiveness and cost-efficiency.

Types of security scans

The important thing to keep in mind when deciding what kind of security scanning a network and system needs is that it is all connected. It is imperative to employ a scanning method that has the ability to look at every possible aspect of the network and system. Therefore, a fully-featured security scanning solution needs to be considered.

Server security scanning is a type of preventative maintenance that needs to be conducted on a regular basis. As a result of network security issues, servers are very often put at risk. Examples of server types that need to be monitored are exchange servers, proxy servers, web servers, file servers, print servers, application servers, and many more.

Network security scanning is extremely important for many reasons. Networks lead into the physical disk space and servers utilized by companies, and if they are not properly secured, hackers and other threats can get into places that they should not be. The biggest problem with network scanning is that networks can be extremely complex in nature. When the network is first set up, it has one layer of settings and configurations, but as components and features are added to that network, additional layers of settings are added. These additional layers sometimes contradict or take precedence over previous ones, which becomes a problem. Holes in the systems’ security are created by this issue and need to be located.

Network scans work by running vulnerability tests on network components. The tests look for faulty settings in the machines connected to the network, the router, and the servers themselves. The tests look for misconfigured internet protocols, server settings, weak passwords, and much more. Once the scans have been completed, the risk can be assessed allowing the user to make the right decisions for the network in question.

Conclusion

While there are many applications that can handle basic security scanning operations, we firmly believe that security should never be skimped on and that the complex work of identifying and then coming up with solutions to security breaches should be left to the professionals. At Holm Security, we are experts in this field, as we are well-trained and experienced in dealing with security issues that affect IT systems.